Dealers should be required to provide independently verified battery health certificates with every used electric vehicle they sell, according to three EV organisations seeking to address persistently low buyer confidence.
Electrifying.com, New AutoMotive and BatteryIQ have jointly called on the government to introduce a nationally recognised battery State of Health standard for dealer-sold used EVs.
The organisations argue that buyers should receive the same transparency about an EV’s battery condition as they expect from an MOT certificate, service history or mileage record when purchasing a petrol or diesel car.
The proposal comes as demand for used EV finance accelerates. Figures cited from the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association show used EV salary sacrifice agreements increased by 474% year-on-year, while used personal contract hire rose by 484% and business contract hire grew by 50%.
However, research conducted by Electrifying.com and the AA among more than 13,000 UK drivers found that just 3% felt very confident about buying a used EV. Some 38% said an independently verified battery certificate would increase their confidence.
Testing cited by the campaign covered more than 8,000 electric vehicles and recorded an average battery State of Health above 95%. It also found numerous vehicles with more than 100,000 miles that retained over 90% of their original battery capacity.
Ginny Buckley, founder of Electrifying.com, said: “Experts can keep telling car buyers they have nothing to worry about, but our research shows that message simply isn’t landing. It’s not enough to dismiss the concerns about battery life shared by the majority of those drivers who haven’t yet switched to an EV. We need to address them.
“We’re asking consumers to make one of the biggest purchases of their lives without one of the most important pieces of information. A standardised battery health certificate would give buyers the transparency and confidence they deserve.”
For dealers, a mandatory certificate would introduce an additional vehicle appraisal and preparation requirement. Its supporters argue that it could make EVs easier to sell, strengthen residual values and reward vehicles that have retained their battery performance.
Ben Nelmes, chief executive of New AutoMotive, said the next stage of Britain’s electric transition would be led by the used market.
He said: “Government policy has done a good job creating supply, but the challenge now is stimulating demand. Battery health certificates are a practical, proportionate reform that would strengthen consumer confidence without requiring expensive subsidy schemes.”
Nick Bailey, founder of BatteryIQ, said the technology required to measure battery condition was already available.
“A battery State of Health certificate should become as routine as an MOT certificate,” he said. “It would create a trusted benchmark for buyers, support stronger residual values and give consumers the confidence they deserve when choosing a used electric car.”
The three organisations want the government to work with manufacturers, retailers and testing providers to establish a standard that can be applied consistently across the used EV market.
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