An EV expert has urged Brits to avoid making a common mistake when buying a used electric car – or risk considerable issues developing with their new vehicle this winter.
While the colder temperatures and treacherous driving conditions pose additional challenges for all drivers, they are particularly prominent for EV drivers.
With that in mind, used car search platform MOTORS has teamed up with Martin Miller, of used EV dealership EV Experts, to ensure Brits buying an electric vehicle don’t end up with a purchase to regret.
One fundamental component of an electric vehicle that’s impacted by the cold weather is its range – the distance a vehicle can travel on a single charge of its battery.
Although it’s important for EV buyers to assess the range of a car year-round, doing so is even more important as the temperatures begin to drop.
To ensure Brits avoid purchasing an EV that has unexpected battery degradation – impacting the vehicle’s range – Martin has outlined the essential process buyers must follow to accurately check the car’s battery health.
He said, “To check the car’s range, start by asking your dealer to fully charge the car.
“While it’s being charged, visit the online EV database and find the real-world range that the car should achieve. Once fully charged, the car’s actual range should come close to aligning with the real-world range listed on the EV database.
“Providing it is, reset the trip meter and take the car out for a test drive.
“The range should decrease by the distance you’ve travelled. For example, if you go for a 20-mile drive, the meter should go down by 20 miles.
“If it doesn’t, you need to ask some questions as this signifies there could be an underlying issue with the battery.”
For those buying from a dealer specialising in EVs you should be issued with a battery health certificate which will provide detailed information on the battery’s condition.
Discussing the importance of carrying out a thorough test of a used EVs range, Steven Edwards, motoring editor of MOTORS, said:
“With a record number of used battery electric vehicles (BEVs) being purchased last quarter, it is evident there’s a growing demand for EVs in the second-hand market.
“While many people are familiar with the essential checks they must carry out before buying a petrol or diesel car, this often isn’t the case for used EVs.
“We want to empower those making the switch to go electric to make educated buying decisions and assessing the range of a vehicle is an integral part of this.”
