Electric Cars
Buying a Used EV: 7 Things to Check
You're considering a used EV but worry about battery health, warranty and hidden issues.
What causes it
Used EVs absorb the biggest depreciation but need a few specific checks that petrol cars don't.
The 7 checks
- Battery health - ask for the SoH (state of health) reading or use the car's diagnostic menu. 85%+ after 3-5 years is good.
- Battery warranty - most are 8 years / 160,000 km; confirm it transfers to you.
- Charging tests - test AC and, if possible, DC charging during the test drive.
- Range on a full charge - compare to the official figure; 20%+ below suggests battery issues.
- Check the 12V battery - a dead 12V causes phantom faults and is cheap to replace.
- Software and recalls - confirm OTA updates and recall work are done.
- Tire and brake condition - EVs wear tires faster; regen means brakes may need a check if rarely used.
Tip
A used EV with 70%+ of its range remaining and a transferable battery warranty is often the smartest EV buy there is.