Generational’s proprietary battery testing technology revealed that in the vehicle set tested, the battery health of EVs produced in 2023 is more than 10 percent higher on average than those manufactured in 2016 and 2017, despite covering an equal distance over their lifetime.
The results underline the urgent need for transparent, easy-to-understand information on battery health to be made universally available across the second-hand vehicle market – powering informed decision-making for all stakeholders from automotive retailers and drivers, to leasing companies and financiers.
Generational’s data forms part of its extensive EV battery health database – meticulously developed over the past two years and continuously expanding as more vehicles are tested. The battery health assessment presents results as a percentage compared to new, benchmarked against the manufacturer’s original data, and allowing easy comparison across vehicle generations.
From the vehicle set tested, 2016-2017 EVs at 90,000 miles had an average battery health of 75.87 percent, with 2023 vehicles recording an average of 86 percent – demonstrating the significant improvement in new vehicles’ battery longevity.
Even at far lower mileages, the differences in battery health – and therefore driving efficiency and real-world range – remain stark. At 50,000 miles, 2023 EVs recorded on average more than 5 percent higher battery health than 2016-2017 models. 2019-2020 vehicles achieved almost 5 percent higher than the 2016-2017 EVs at the same mileage.
“The results of our EV battery health testing highlight the remarkable progress in battery technology over recent years, and just how much more value it adds than the mileage figure when looking to acquire a used EV” said Oliver Phillpott, CEO of Generational. “Understanding this evolution helps buyers make informed decisions based on their specific needs. In the electric age, battery health provides crucial context to mileage when assessing a used EV's condition. Our testing provides transparency into the actual performance you can expect. As with combustion-engine vehicles, used-EV customers want to be able to determine which vehicle will be the best for their needs; for some buyers, vehicles with moderately lower battery health may offer excellent value – they just need the right information to arrive at that conclusion. That’s what battery health certification provides, and what’s needed to create a healthy, sustainable market for used EVs.”
Generational’s toolset, optimised for vehicles in the UK market, is designed from the ground up to remove uncertainty. Requiring minimal training and guided by the business’ intuitive mobile app, Generational’s small device can be seamlessly plugged into an EV’s OBD port – securely analysing the vehicle’s data to accurately determine its battery’s state of health, before it’s valued or acquired.
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