Buying a used electric car: battery, range and what the MOT does not test

When you buy a used electric car, the battery matters most, and the MOT does not test it. The tester checks brakes, tyres, steering, suspension, lights and the body, but does not measure battery health, range or charging. You need to judge those yourself, using a battery health report, the range shown at full charge, the warranty and a proper test drive.

The rest of the car is simpler than a petrol or diesel. There is no clutch, no gearbox in the usual sense, no exhaust and no timing belt. That leaves the battery, the charging equipment and the parts every car has.

How battery health is measured

Battery health is usually expressed as state of health: the capacity the battery can hold now compared with when it was new. It is measured with diagnostic equipment that reads data from the car's battery management system.

There are three common ways to get a reading:

• A dealer report. A franchised dealer for the brand can run a battery health check. Some brands include one in the service.
• An independent test. Specialist companies offer battery health certificates for used electric cars. Ask the seller whether one has been done recently.
• The car itself. Some models show a state of health figure or a battery capacity reading in the menus. Many do not.

If no report is available, look at the range the car predicts at full charge, and compare it with the official figure for that model when new. The prediction depends on recent driving and the weather, so treat it as a rough guide, not a measurement.

What degradation to expect

All lithium-ion batteries lose capacity gradually with age and use. How much varies widely by model, battery size, climate, how the car has been charged and how far it has been driven. There is no single figure that applies to every car, so be wary of anyone who quotes one.

Things that are generally thought to add to wear include frequent rapid charging, regularly charging to full and leaving the car there, and running the battery very low. Early electric cars without active battery cooling are often more sensitive to heat and rapid charging than newer designs. Ask the seller how the car was usually charged, at home or at rapid chargers, and how it was used.

Remember that the official range figure is measured in test conditions. Real range is usually lower in cold weather, at motorway speeds and with the heating on. Think about the longest trip you make regularly and allow a margin.

What the MOT checks and what it misses

An electric car follows the same MOT timetable as any other car: first test by the third anniversary of registration, then every year. The test covers the safety items you would expect: brakes, tyres, steering, suspension, lights, seat belts, visibility and the body and structure. There is no emissions test.

The MOT does not check:

• Battery state of health or capacity.
• Real range.
• Charging, either at home or on a rapid charger.
• The motor or the software.

The MOT record is still worth reading. Electric cars are heavy, so watch for repeated tyre advisories. Regenerative braking means the brakes are used less, so corroded discs and seized parts can appear as advisories or failures. Our free MOT check shows every result and advisory, and our guide to MOT advisories explains which ones matter.

Battery warranty and how it transfers

Most manufacturers give the battery a separate warranty that lasts longer than the rest of the car, often around eight years with a mileage limit. Many promise that the battery will keep a minimum share of its original capacity during that period. The terms vary by brand and by year, so read the actual warranty for the car you are looking at.

The warranty usually stays with the car when it is sold, but some brands make it conditional on servicing or regular health checks at a dealer. Give a franchised dealer the registration and ask what cover remains and what conditions apply.

Some older electric cars were sold with the battery leased separately on a monthly contract. If so, the lease must be transferred to you or bought out. Ask the seller directly, and check the paperwork.

Charging cables and home chargers

Ask which cables come with the car. Most public charge points in the UK need a Type 2 cable, and many cars also came with a cable for a household socket. Replacements are not cheap, so missing cables are worth a price adjustment.

Check which rapid charging connector the car uses. Most newer cars use CCS, while some older models use CHAdeMO, which is less widely available at public sites.

A home charger is fixed to the house, so it stays with the seller unless you agree otherwise. If you will need one, budget for buying and fitting it. If the car uses a manufacturer app, ask the seller to remove it from their account so you can add it to yours.

On the test drive

Arrive to find the car charged, and note the charge level and the predicted range. Drive for long enough to see how quickly they fall. Check the heating and air conditioning, because they draw on the battery. If you can, plug the car into a charger to make sure it accepts a charge. Electric cars still have a small 12V battery, and a weak one can cause odd warning lights.

For everything else, from tyres to bodywork to matching the VIN on the V5C, use our used car inspection checklist. The £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, write-offs and the police stolen marker, which matter on an electric car as much as on any other.

Common questions

Written by James Parry. Last reviewed 11 November 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.