Used EV seller Cambria adds battery health check to all cars

Leading car retail group Cambria will include a battery health check with all used EVs, it has confirmed.

Battery health checks are seen as key to boosting buyer confidence in used EVs and the Hertfordshire-based group says its “transparent and reliable” reports will aid customers across the UK.

After extensive testing of different systems at its Motorparks division, the group has chosen to roll out Generational’s battery check technology at its three core brands – Motorparks, Invicta and Grange.

It says that the adoption of the battery checks will provide reassurance to customers across the spectrum from luxury EVs such as the Rolls-Royce Spectre to the most affordable options like the MG4.

Every secondhand EV sold at Cambria’s 18 site will now come with a battery health check as standard. The checks will provide a simple certificate displaying key information on battery state of health as a percentage versus new, and a transparent report on the battery’s overall condition.

Richard Hubbard, director at Cambria Automobiles, said: “In today’s used vehicle market, it’s clear to us that drivers are increasingly seeking a crystal-clear picture of the condition of an EV before they buy it. With battery health becoming the new mileage and real-world performance indicator in the EV age, our quick, simple testing and certification process allows customers to make fully informed purchase decisions.

“We’re set to provide that certainty for thousands of our customers across the country, from the get-go. The confidence that battery health testing inspires will go a long way to showing UK drivers just how effective used EVs can be for a variety of use-cases, and we’re excited to progress that mission moving forward.”

Industry studies have previously shown that long-term battery health is among buyers’ biggest concerns when considering a used electric car. A growing number of sellers have begun to introduce their own checks, including BCA and Polestar. However, 90% of used car dealers say they want to see a standardised testing and reporting system across the industry.

Despite buyers’ concerns, the latest studies, including by Generational, suggest that EVs lose between 1% and 2% of capacity per year and that figure is falling.

Recently, testing by German motoring group ADAC revealed that declines in capacity over time are also being negated by updates to powertrain software which improve efficiency. It found a Volkswagen ID.3 had lost just 8 miles of range after 107,000 miles and four years of intensive use. A 9% decline in battery health had been offset by efficiency improvements provided by over-the-air updates.