As electric vehicles move beyond early adoption and into the used market, attention is shifting to a less-discussed challenge: longevity, writes Jonathan Hewett, chief executive of Thatcham Research.
The industry conversation around electric vehicles has long fixated on first ownership. New product launches and answering the range and usability concerns of early adopters has understandably been a key focus as EVs broke into the market.
However, as numbers increase and the car parc matures, the focus must shift to maximising the life of EVs as they enter the second-hand market.
For dealers and aftermarket suppliers, the long-term success of EVs depends not only on new sales volumes, but also whether they can be confidently retailed, repaired and supported through second and third ownership.
From moral case to commercial reality
It is easy to frame vehicle longevity as a sustainability argument. For dealers, though, it boils down to commercial risk. Vehicles that cannot be economically repaired present increased warranty exposure. Residual values soften and workshop throughput can also suffer.
With EVs, these dynamics are magnified. The high value of batteries has a disproportionate effect on the economic viability of repair. If relatively modest damage renders a vehicle a total loss, confidence quickly drains from the used market.
The consequence is simple: cars that struggle to move beyond first ownership undermine the economics of the entire retail ecosystem.
Design decisions echo through used market
As Thatcham Research has highlighted within its EV Blueprint, such outcomes are not inevitable, but they are baked-in early in the vehicle design process.
Vehicles where components can be assessed, repaired or replaced without triggering disproportionate cost, have a very different risk profile as they age, to those where repairability is limited and data access constrained. This leads to greater uncertainty and for dealers that means greater risk.
In practical terms, this shows up in everyday decisions. Do you take a chance on that three-year-old EV? Are you confident the vehicle can be repaired cost effectively if it sustains damage under warranty or goodwill? Will diagnostics and parts availability support workshop efficiency or prolong downtime?
These are not abstract engineering debates. They directly affect stocking strategies, pricing confidence and aftersales planning.
Repairability underpins residual value
Residual values are ultimately a reflection of future confidence. A used car’s value is sustained not just by its desirability, but by the industry’s ability to keep it on the road.
At the point where EVs have aged out of manufacturer warranty cover, the commercial logic of repair matters more than ever. If options are limited to full component replacement, costs escalate rapidly and write-offs become more likely.
By contrast, vehicles designed to support inspection, targeted repair and reuse can remain economically viable for longer. That improves retention within the parc, protects residuals and supports a healthier used EV market overall.
Alongside physical design, access to data plays an increasingly crucial role in vehicle longevity. Clear, accessible diagnostic information allows confident assessment early in the repair journey. It helps distinguish between minor issues and serious faults, reducing delays and conservative write off decisions.
For dealers, that confidence supports better customer conversations. For the aftermarket, it enables investment in skills and tooling. These are the conditions required for EVs to be considered long term assets, rather than short lived liabilities.
The opportunity ahead
As EVs move deeper into the national parc, the industry faces a choice. We can allow uncertainty around repairability and support to constrain the used market, or we can actively shape a future where electric vehicles are designed, repaired and retailed with longevity in mind.
For dealers, this is about protecting the full lifecycle value of the products you sell. For repairers, it is about participation in a growing, maturing market rather than exclusion from it.
Long life is no longer a philosophical ambition. It is a commercial requirement – and one that will increasingly separate those who can trade confidently in the EV era from those who cannot.
Author: Jonathan Hewett, chief executive, Thatcham Research
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