It’s a no-brainer when you think about it, although the topic did not stand out in our minds before. You can learn loads about the owner of a combustion vehicle by looking in the trunk, or under the hood. But when it comes to an electric vehicle battery, where do you begin? A bunch of analytic start-ups are lifting the lid, and bringing caring for EV batteries under the spotlight.
Battery Condition Affects Used Electric Vehicle Value
Driving range, and battery life can be deal-breakers in every new electric vehicle sale. The current generation of used EV purchasers, are adding ability-to-hold-charge to their checklist. They may have depended on what the seller told them previously, although that age of innocence is fading fast.
But there’s a catch, as there often is in the used auto market. An electric vehicle’s age and mileage does not necessarily indicate remaining battery life. The discriminating factor is how previous owners approached the task of caring for EV batteries. And that’s a case of insisting ‘don’t tell me, let me look.
Somewhat surprisingly, electric vehicle testing kits were out of reach of used-car sales people until recently. We guess this is a case of technology taking a while to catch up with the proverbial ‘man in the street’. Times Live confirmed on October 23, 2023 this situation is changing. We should think so, this is well due!
Caring for EV Batteries Is Even More Important Now
Caring for EV batteries properly involves the following strategy, according to the KIA website:
- Avoid parking your vehicle in fierce sun for hours, so your temperature control system does not needlessly drain your EV battery.
- Rely on your battery management system to manage recharging. Overriding it to maximize driving range can damage your battery.
- Do your best to avoid fast charging, unless in an emergency. Eight years of standard charging contributes to 10% longer battery life.
- Adjust your timed charger to keep the battery between 25% and 75% if you are not using the car. Maintaining full charge without using it can degrade the battery.
We recommend following this advice, or taking similar precautions. For if you do not, then your EV could be worth less on trade-in, if the dealer has one of those new-generation battery analytic devices.
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