Some electric vehicles hardly compromise on battery capacity. Other models perform much less well and can lose up to eight percent in battery capacity and driving range every year. This is what researchers from Thomas More claim.
For two years, researchers from the university monitored the so-called ‘state of health’ of the electric vehicle fleet. The fleet, and specifically the health of the batteries, were systematically checked at that time. In this way, the research aimed to answer questions about second-hand electric cars, among other things.
“The most expensive part of an electric car is the battery pack,” says Luc Claessens, Future Mobility researcher and lecturer at Thomas More. “Replacement usually costs more than the value of the vehicle, especially for used vehicles. So you better be sure about the ‘state of health’ of an electric vehicle before you make a purchase.”
Rapid battery aging will obviously negatively impact a vehicle’s usability and value. “It is therefore very important that the consumer knows the health of his car,” says Claessens. “It was already clear to us that not every battery ages in the same way and has now been confirmed.”
Another question was how the researchers can best determine the ‘state of health’. “That is why we compared our own measuring method with the measurement that the brand importer has made on his vehicles,” Claessens continues. “And we also had four specialized commercial companies take measurements.”
The research therefore mainly aims to help determine the way in which the quality of life of the batteries is determined. That’s what happens with the second-hand inspection. “The value of an electric vehicle is largely determined by the health of the battery,” concludes Claessens. “That health must therefore be determined in a reliable manner.”
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