By LAUNCH UK & IRELAND on Oct 27, 2026, 10:15:01 AM
As the used electric vehicle market continues to develop, knowing the condition of an EV’s battery is becoming increasingly important. EV battery health testing helps workshops and dealers assess battery condition, supporting more informed buying, selling and servicing decisions.
Why battery health matters
Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming an increasingly familiar sight on UK roads. As more used electric cars enter the market, battery condition is an important consideration for buyers and sellers alike.
A five-year-old EV with 30,000 miles on the clock might look like an attractive purchase but while its mileage and overall condition may appear reassuring, they don't necessarily tell the whole story. The battery is one of the vehicle's most important and potentially expensive components – depending on the vehicle and battery involved a replacement battery can cost up to £25k and be more expensive than the car’s actual worth - so its condition can have a significant bearing not just on the initial investment but on the vehicle's overall value too.
Without reliable information about its health, assessing the risk of buying or selling a used EV is challenging. An electric car battery health check can help provide a clearer picture – for the dealer and the consumer.
What is Battery State of Health (SOH)?
Battery State of Health (SOH) is an assessment of a battery's condition relative to its expected condition when new. It provides an important indication of how much of its original capability remains. For used EVs, an EV battery SOH test can help dealers and buyers make better-informed decisions about a vehicle's condition and value.
LAUNCH Battery SOH Testing provides a dedicated battery health assessment through compatible LAUNCH diagnostic tools. Available as a separate software download, it can be used on LAUNCH tools without requiring specific EV Lite or EV Pro software.
Rather than relying solely on mileage, age or a vehicle's general appearance as has been the general norm to date, the SOH test itself generates a report containing key battery information, giving businesses a practical way to incorporate EV battery diagnostics into their existing offering.
CARA approval: Supporting confidence in used EV transactions
The Car Remarketing Association Europe (CARA) is an international non-profit organisation established in 2015 to represent and support the European used-car remarketing industry. Its members include major players across vehicle manufacturing, leasing, fleet management, auctions and automotive services, with a focus on developing industry standards, improving transparency and supporting new market opportunities.
Recognising that uncertainty around battery condition can make buyers hesitant to purchase used electric vehicles, CARA established its Battery Health Check CARA Approved® scheme. The initiative aims to promote confidence in the used EV market by establishing a recognised approach to assessing battery State of Health (SOH), making results easier to communicate to buyers and helping support vehicle residual values.
LAUNCH Battery SOH Testing has been granted CARA approval for its Battery Index Test, and is included in CARA's recommended diagnostic solutions for EV battery health assessment. This gives workshops and dealers access to a recognised battery health assessment solution, providing documented information about battery condition during the buying and selling process and enabling more transparent and informed used EV transactions.
Opening up opportunities for independent dealers
Uncertainty around battery condition can make some electric vehicles more difficult to assess for resale, particularly for businesses without access to specialist battery testing capabilities. Access to reliable battery health information can help smaller dealers approach the used EV market with greater confidence.
With a compatible LAUNCH diagnostic tool and SOH software, workshops and dealers can now carry out electric vehicle battery health testing and produce a report to support their evaluation of a vehicle. This can help businesses make more informed purchasing decisions, provide customers with greater transparency and explore opportunities in the growing used EV market.
For workshops, it also creates an additional service to offer customers who are buying, selling or looking to understand the condition of their electric vehicle's battery. Adding EV battery health checks to an existing diagnostic offering can help businesses respond to changing customer needs – and help boost income.
SOH testing is different from EV servicing software
LAUNCH offers a range of EV diagnostic software capabilities* to support different workshop requirements: Standard diagnostic software provides service functions for many supported EVs, while EV Lite offers additional access to vehicle systems. EV Pro supports more advanced battery-related work, including procedures involving battery packs and individual cells, where applicable.
SOH testing serves a different purpose. It is a dedicated EV battery health test that can be downloaded separately for compatible LAUNCH diagnostic tools, without the need to purchase EV Lite or EV Pro.
It is important to distinguish battery health assessment from physical battery repair or internal battery work. EV Pro procedures involving high-voltage battery packs require the appropriate training, qualifications and safety precautions.
Turn battery health information into new opportunities
As the used EV market develops, access to meaningful battery health information can help independent businesses respond to changing customer needs. With LAUNCH Battery Health Check CARA Approved®, workshops and dealers can add a valuable assessment capability to their existing automotive diagnostic tools, helping support more informed decisions and greater transparency around used EV battery condition.
Whether you're an independent garage looking to expand your EV diagnostic capabilities or a used car dealer seeking better information when assessing electric vehicles, SOH testing offers a practical way to understand battery condition.
Contact LAUNCH UK & IRELAND to discuss compatibility with your diagnostic tool and how EV battery health testing could support your business.
