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How do you evaluate the battery on a used electric car?
My friend is selling his used electric vehicle, and I want to make sure the battery is still good before I buy it. How do you evaluate the battery on a used electric car?
Bellina Gaskey · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Good question! The most accurate way will be to take it to an EV dealership where they can gauge it for you with a licensed mechanic. However, if that’s not possible, there are a few other methods.
First and foremost, you can ask the seller to charge the battery fully and let you take it for a test drive. This lets you evaluate the range, which is the easiest way to gauge the battery health.
Make sure you use the heater and air conditioner, to see that they work and to see how it affects battery capacity. You can compare the amount of charge used in however many miles you drive to the average expectations for whatever kind of electric car you’re looking to buy.
Another thing to check during the test drive is charging behaviour. After your test drive, plug the vehicle in and see how much it charges during a half hour. You can compare this to information online about the model to see if it’s charging normally, which can be indicative of battery health.
As electric vehicles become more commonplace and buying them second hand is more prevalent, some companies are working to create a CarFax-like report showing the history of electric vehicles as well as their battery life.
Before you take your new car out for a spin, make sure you get affordable insurance.
Jerry
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