The majority of dealers , 90% say the used electric car sector needs an industry-wide scheme for battery health tests.
August’s Startline Used Car Tracker shows 78% believe battery health is an essential consideration for most electric car buyers.
However, there is some difference of opinion about how this should be delivered – 38% think battery health check providers should meet an industry-created standard while 36% say any such scheme should be government backed.
Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said: “Dealers are obviously at the sharp end of selling used cars and essentially, this data is telling us the overwhelming majority believe the sector needs some form of formal battery health check scheme, with more than three out of four thinking battery health is a key consideration for buyers.
“In a used electric car market where residual values remain low and there is a general degree of concern about the volume of vehicles starting to circulate, this is a move that could help to persuade potential buyers who are concerned about the possibility of battery failure or degradation. It could give them the confidence to buy.
“There are plans for a government scheme but progress appears to be slow and there is, of course, nothing to stop any of the major industry bodies from creating their own standard with the many credible battery health check providers already working in the market.”
Very few dealers disagree with the need for an industry-wide scheme, with only 5% believing battery health is not the most important factor for EV buyers and 3% thinking battery health checks are an unnecessary expense for dealers.
The Startline Used Car Tracker is compiled monthly for Startline Motor Finance by APD Global Research, well-known in the motor industry for their business intelligence reporting and customer experience programs. This time, 300 consumers and 60 dealers were questioned.