Buying a used electric car? It's all about the battery and the brakes

BERLIN: It's a no-brainer that the most important part of an electric car is the battery, and this is even more the case for used cars.

The better the condition of the battery, the closer you'll get to the car's original maximum range.

The problem is, according to experts from Germany's TÜV inspection agency, is that this isn't something you can check with the naked eye - not even if you're an expert yourself.

Taking the car for a test drive for a few hours to see how quickly the battery drains likely also isn't an option.

To be able to determine the so-called State of Health (SoH), an independent battery check with a certificate is possibly your best option.

Some car clubs and testing companies also offer these checks, which are highly recommended when buying a used electric. You may also be able to check the battery with the manufacturer's own test equipment.

According to TÜV, manufacturers often guarantee 70 to 80% of the battery capacity for up to eight years. But with some manufacturers, this guarantee expires when the car goes on the secondary market.

Not everyone needs pristine battery power, mind, and those who only plan to make short trips across the city can still opt for a car with a more reduced range, so long as the price reflects this.

But things change if you want to leave the city and cover longer distances. In that case, you'll need a higher SoH value so that you can still use as much range capacity as possible. The option for faster recharging also helps if regular charging breaks will be needed.

It's not only the battery but also the brakes which can be a sticking point with electric cars. Kinetic energy is typically recovered during deceleration, and this can put such a strain on the normal brakes on board, wearing down the pads and leading to rust.

For buyers, that means: Take a close look (or get an expert to), because a new set will cost you. This is also the case if a broken charging cable needs to be replaced, and you'll need to check things are in order here too.