Auction house adds battery health check to used EV sales

Major used car reseller BCA has introduced a new battery health check system for second hand electric cars.

The UK-first battery grading service is designed to give trade buyers more confidence as more and more EVs reach the second hand market.

Battery degradation remains a concern in the used car market, despite evidence suggesting it is less of a problem than first hoped. BCA, which handles sales of fleet vehicles to car dealers says its new approach provides vehicle retailers with an at-a-glance assessment of a battery’s condition, helping them when bidding on cars.

BCA is reporting record levels of used EV sales in 2024 and is on track to sell more than 40,000 units over the next 12 months. Its COO Stuart Pearson, commented: “EV volumes in our online auctions are growing significantly year on year and we continue to refine the remarketing process in support of this sector.”

The battery health grading uses an AVILOO battery ‘FLASH Test’, to measure the traction battery’s remaining usable capacity and identify issues such as faulty modules within the battery. The grading is then displayed in a quick reference format in the vehicle description, with successful buyers given the full test report post-sale. That report can then be provided to retail customers to improve trust and transparency in used EVs.

Pearson continued: “The new BCA battery health grading helps our buyer customers to bid on electric vehicles with complete confidence and make more informed decisions when buying.

“The service offers absolute transparency with unbiased testing and grading, providing a reusable report that will further help the retail process.

“For our sellers, the report will provide the opportunity to resolve any issues in advance of the sale event, along with optimising residual values by removing any uncertainty discounting.”

Marcus Berger, CEO of AVILOO GmbH, added: “The AVILOO battery health test covers 95% of all available EV brands meaning it is a great fit with BCA’s extensive online remarketing programmes across the UK and Europe.

“Driving increased confidence, along with a transparent process remains key to the ongoing development of the used EV landscape, and we’re very happy to be partnering with BCA on this initiative.”