Pressure builds on industry to standardise EV battery health reports

The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) has endorsed the growing demand for an industry-standard battery health certificate to support the transition to electric vehicles (EVs), particularly in the used vehicle market.

Ric Baird, board director at the AFP, emphasised the need to make EVs as credible and reassuring a purchase as their petrol and diesel counterparts.

“The AFP, alongside several other organisations, recently signed an open letter led by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), calling for increased Government support for the used EV sector,” Baird said.

“This support is essential to improve affordability and protect residual values.”

He noted, however, that one of the less highlighted—but equally important—elements of the letter was the call for initiatives to build consumer confidence in used EVs.

“There remain significant misconceptions and persistent misinformation regarding electric vehicles,” Baird said.

“Establishing a sense of normalcy and reducing perceived risks around EVs is as critical as any financial incentive.”

“There is widespread misunderstanding about EV batteries, including exaggerated fears about safety and degradation,” he said.

“However, existing evidence consistently shows that EV batteries are durable, safe, and degrade at a slow, predictable rate. This information must be communicated more effectively.”

Recent research by Axa UK, published in March, supports the introduction of battery health certificates as a way to revitalise the UK’s used EV market. The report indicates such certification could provide a credible, standardised measure of battery condition, which is currently lacking and essential to accurately valuing used EVs.

The industry must also become adept at identifying underperforming cells and restoring battery health to optimal levels, according to Dr Sara Ridley, engineering and quality director at Autocraft EV Solutions, part of Autocraft Solutions Group.

She said: "Our experience in EV battery repair has found many SoH assessments from vehicle battery management systems to be quite inaccurate. We’ve seen many an EV battery performance issue that hasn’t been picked up by the BMS, simply because the testing methodology doesn’t go into sufficient depth. Because of this, many problematic cells and potential faults go undetected, which raises question marks around the actual state of health of the battery and the degree of risk attached to it."