The SOH of the battery of a preowned electrical vehicle will appear on the Car-Pass
Car-Pass is expanding its operations by adding the state of health (SOH) of the battery of second-hand electric cars to the document from the beginning of next year. Minister for Consumer Protection Rob Beenders and Minister for Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke are signing a letter of intent to this effect. ‘This will make it clear to future buyers of second-hand electric cars what the condition of the battery is. This has been a major issue for which there has been no conclusive solution until now. We are going to change that,’ adds Minister Beenders.
The second-hand market for electric cars is still growing too slowly. Minister Beenders and Crucke want to change this by giving the market a positive boost. Soon, the mandatory Car-Pass will also show the condition of the battery. The “State of Health” (SOH) will be added to the document. "It is still too difficult for potential buyers of a second-hand electric car to assess the condition of the battery. By rolling out a uniform system that is applied to the Car-Pass, you will be able to see the condition of a car's battery. The capacity is displayed as a percentage, just like you can check the battery capacity of your smartphone," says Minister Rob Beenders. ‘The transition to electric mobility can only succeed if we strengthen consumer confidence. By making the condition of the battery visible via the Car-Pass, we are making second-hand electric cars more attractive and taking a new step towards sustainable and transparent mobility for everyone,’ says Minister Crucke. Ministers Beenders and Crucke have already given their approval via a letter of intent. This means that Car-Pass can already apply the SOH while awaiting a proper regulatory framework.
Sales figures
In the first nine months of this year, more than 106,000 (106,229) new electric cars were registered. That represents a market share of almost 33 per cent. Meanwhile, the number of second-hand electric cars was just under 22,000 (21,912). That represents a market share of around 4 per cent. ‘The figures from the second-hand market clearly show that buyers are still hesitant. And that is understandable. At the moment, you still know too little about the condition of the battery. We are going to change that together with Minister Crucke, so that we can convince those who are still hesitant,’ adds Minister Beenders.
State of Health
On average, electric car batteries lose around 1.8 per cent of their capacity per year. This means that a battery will last 10 to 15 years before it needs to be replaced. A clear SOH gives buyers confidence, so they know what the battery life will be when they purchase a second-hand electric car.
Standardised checks
There are currently several ways to check the condition of the battery. This can be done through an authorised car brand dealer, through the VAB or through independent online tests such as Aviloo, Moba or Electrify. ‘The aim of the Car-Pass is precisely to provide the buyer with transparent information about the used car they have in mind. For electric vehicles, the condition of the battery is at least as important as the mileage. It therefore makes sense to include the State of Health on the Car-Pass,’ adds Michel Peelman, managing director of Car-Pass.
European legislation
Europe needs to develop a standard measurement system so that it is clear how we measure the battery percentage of an electric car. Thanks to the letter of intent from Minister Beenders and Minister Crucke, we are taking the lead as a country and are already adapting to the European regulations that are still pending. From January onwards, the SOH will not yet be mandatory for every Car-Pass for a second-hand electric car, but it is an additional and useful tool for both the buyer and the seller. In this way, we are taking steps forward in better protecting consumers and convincing those who are still undecided.
