AXA urges for standardised battery health testing

New research by AXA UK has revealed 63 per cent of UK motorists do not want to buy an electric vehicle (EV), with 37 per cent citing concerns over the battery as one of their main reasons. Following this, AXA UK are urging the government to publish guidelines to support standardised battery health testing.

This new research, conducted by Stack Data strategy and commissioned by AXA UK, shows that motorists don’t want to buy EVs because they are expensive (61 per cent), and 35 per cent are put off by the low number of charging points in their local area (36 per cent).

Alongside the research, AXA UK has also published a report, ‘Sparking Change — the case for delivering EV battery health certificates,’ which, following their new findings, highlights the benefits of standardised battery health information for all makes and models of used EVs to make consumers feel more confident over the longevity of the vehicles they are buying.

AXA UK believes that battery health certificates are a key player in stimulating the UK’s used EV market by providing a measure for vehicle value that currently doesn’t exist. This could have a positive impact on insurance premiums by making it easier for insurers to accurately assess the value of second-hand EVs in a similar way that mileage is used for vehicles with an engine.

Used EVs are particularly attractive for consumers as from 1st April, EVs priced over £40,000 will face an annual expensive car tax for five years at £425, in addition to the introduction of £195. Most EVs fall above the £40,000 price mark, so a second-hand option is a valuable alternative.

UK legislation asks for EVs and their batteries to have manufacturer warranties of eight years or 100,000 miles but these are often not passed on to subsequent owners of the vehicle. There is currently no standardised method in place for the owners of second-hand EVs to track the vehicle’s battery health or performance.

Marco Distefano, managing director at AXA Retail, said: “Battery health certificates have the potential to boost consumer confidence and drive demand to create a thriving second-hand EV market, IT’s clear that motorists have concerns about the lifespan and cost of electric vehicles and without addressing these issues there is a risk that EV uptake will remain low.

“We urge the government to urgently publish guidelines to support standardised battery health testing. Not only will this stimulate the used EV market, but it also has the potential to positively impact insurance premiums by providing a barometer for assessing the value of EVs in similar way that mileage is used for vehicles with an engine.”