BVRLA event to focus on battery health of used EVs

The BVRLA is assembling an advisory group of battery experts next month to explore ways of promoting greater confidence in the used electric vehicle market.

Battery degradation is one of the biggest concerns for potential used battery electric vehicle (BEV) buyers, and organisations across the automotive supply chain are exploring ways of accurately measuring and recording health status.
 
Titled ‘Battery Health: supercharge your knowledge’, the BVRLA’s half-day ‘Deep Dive’ event on 16 May will include panel discussions and keynote speeches from battery engineers, health-check providers and the UK Department for Transport. The association is hosting the event in partnership with Auto Trader, whose regular market insights have tracked an increasing supply/demand imbalance in the new and used BEV market, and highlighted the wider implications for the market.
 
“As the new electric vehicle market grows and matures, it is only natural that the spotlight shifts to the other end of the automotive value chain,” said Toby Poston, director of corporate affairs at the BVRLA.
 
“Vehicle resellers and remarketers need help in setting used BEV prices and reassuring potential customers. Fleet operators and vehicle owners want to use the information to prolong the life of their assets and maximise their resale value.
 
“Recent history has highlighted the perils of flawed vehicle data. The BVRLA is working with Government and colleagues across the fleet sector industry to promote battery health information that is reliable, accessible and useable.”
 
The BVRLA Deep Dive will explore current trends in battery technology and degradation before examining the latest developments in battery health monitoring. The DfT will give a perspective on attempts to produce global standards in this area, while Auto Trader will share its latest data and insights on the used BEV market.
 
Ian Plummer, commercial director of Auto Trader, added: “As highlighted in the latest edition of our Road to 2030 report, these are difficult times for the UK’s electric ambitions. Although demand for used BEVs is up around 30% on last year, fuelled by greater choice and softening prices, it’s failing to keep pace with the recent surge in supply. It’s impossible to overstate the role the second-hand market will play in driving mass adoption, and building confidence in used BEVs among retailers will be as important as it is among consumers. This initiative will go a long way towards these objectives and will be a big help in getting the road to 2030 back on track.”
 
The battery health Deep Dive forms part of the BVRLA’s Fleets in Charge programme of transport decarbonisation events and content, supported in 2023 by The AA, Arval and Mina.