Drivers deserve to know the health of a used EV battery, say leading industry experts

  Posted by: user_amy      24th August 2026

Three of the UK’s leading electric vehicle organisations have joined forces to call on Government to introduce mandatory battery State of Health (SoH) certificates for all dealer-sold used electric vehicles, arguing the move would remove one of the biggest remaining barriers to mainstream EV adoption.

Electrifying.com, New AutoMotive and BatteryIQ say consumers deserve the same level of transparency about an electric vehicle’s battery as they already expect through an MOT certificate, service history or mileage record when buying a used petrol or diesel car.

The organisations argue that while battery degradation has become one of the biggest concerns among prospective used EV buyers, the evidence increasingly shows modern batteries are lasting far longer than many consumers believe. The real problem is not battery health itself, but the lack of clear, independent information available when a vehicle is sold.

The call comes as the UK’s used EV market begins to gather real momentum. Fresh figures from the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) show used EV salary sacrifice agreements rose by 474% over the past year, while used personal contract hire increased by 484% and used business contract hire grew by 50%.¹

Consumer confidence remains the missing ingredient. Research by Electrifying.com and The AA of over 13,000 UK drivers found battery condition remains one of the biggest concerns among those who haven’t yet switched to an EV. Just 3% of drivers said they felt confident buying a used electric vehicle, while 38% said an independently verified battery health certificate would increase their confidence in one.²

Recent independent analysis also suggests those concerns are increasingly out of step with reality. Testing of more than 8,000 electric vehicles found an average battery State of Health of more than 95%, with many vehicles covering well over 100,000 miles while retaining more than 90% of their original battery capacity.³

The three organisations say mandatory battery health certificates would give buyers greater confidence, reward owners who have properly maintained their vehicles and create a transparent benchmark across the used market.

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. Given how important the used market is to the UK’s transition to electric cars, this feels like a genuine no-brainer.”

Ben Nelmes, Chief Executive of New AutoMotive, said:

“The next stage of Britain’s transition to electric vehicles will be driven by the used market. Every new EV sold becomes tomorrow’s affordable family car.

“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:

“Battery health is probably the single biggest unanswered question for used EV buyers, yet it’s also one of the easiest things to measure accurately.

“We already have the technology. We already know how to assess battery condition consistently. The missing piece is making that information available as standard.

“A battery State of Health certificate should become as routine as an MOT certificate. 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 organisations are calling on Government to work with industry to introduce a nationally recognised battery State of Health standard that can be applied consistently across manufacturers and retailers. They believe the measure would strengthen confidence in the used EV market, improve transparency for consumers and help accelerate Britain’s transition to electric transport without requiring significant public spending.