Find used electric cars with a battery certificate
What does the new filter "With battery certificate" offer you at mobile.de?
You want to buy a used e-car, but don't know what the condition of the installed traction battery is? Mobile.de is the first car trading platform in Germany to introduce the "With battery certificate" filter. Now you have the option of using the search mask to filter specifically for advertisements with a battery certificate. For example, only e-cars with a certified battery are displayed.
The new filter option brings significant advantages, especially when buying a used car. The presence of a battery certificate not only ensures safety and trust in the vehicle when buying, but also trust in the dealer. In a survey conducted by mobile.de in 2023 on the new certificate, 92 percent of respondents said that the battery certificate was very helpful when deciding to buy a used electric vehicle.
Advantages and disadvantages of the battery certificate at a glance
-
Reliable information about the current condition of the battery
-
Purchase argument: creates confidence in the vehicle
-
Ensures trust in the dealer/seller of the e-car
- Not dynamic, can become obsolete
- Time-consuming
- Fee-based (only for the dealer)
What does the battery certificate say?
The battery certificate provides information about the state of health of the battery, the so-called State of Health (SoH for short), and the range of the battery calculated from it. The State of Health is one of the most important aspects of ensuring the functionality and performance of an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle. A battery with a lower SoH leads to a reduced range as well as limitations in fast charging.
How do I use the new filter "With battery certificate"?
The new search filter can be found on the mobile.de homepage via the quick search.
On the mobile.de home page:
- In the search mask, check the box "Electric cars only".
- Click on "More filters" in the bottom right corner of the search mask to open the detailed search.
In the detailed search:
- Go far down to the "Technical data" category.
- In the subcategory "Condition of the battery", check the box "With battery certificate".
- The orange button at the top right will take you to the offers you are looking for.
Now, your search will only show vehicles that are offered with a tested and certified battery. Many dealers place the certificate in the image gallery for viewing.
Currently, the search filter can be used for the desktop and mobile view of the mobile.de website. Integration in the mobile.de app is planned.
Where does the battery certificate come from?
Various providers are eligible for the battery certificate. Certified battery diagnostics can be carried out, for example, by testing organizations such as TÃœV Rheinland and Dekra, external providers such as Aviloo or at various ADAC club stations. Dealers can upload the certificate when placing the advertisements and set the filter "With battery certificate". The corresponding displays are labelled "With battery certificate". In addition, the offer shows whether the battery has been tested by the dealer itself or by an external provider.
Why don't all ads for used e-cars have a battery certificate?
Battery health diagnostics and certification are subject to a fee. The additional costs are currently still preventing dealers from subjecting electric cars to a battery check before they are sold. Mobile.de is initially starting with a cooperation with Hyundai Motor Germany and is continuously increasing the number of advertisements with certificates. By the end of March, around 600 sales advertisements (as of 03/24) with battery certificates will be online. This pilot project is intended to show that the existence of a battery certificate increases demand in the growth market for used electric cars and motivates more dealers to have a battery test carried out. In this way, mobile.de together with Hyundai takes away one of the biggest worries of car buyers: ignorance about the battery condition.
Battery certificate for more clarity
With the shift to electric mobility, the used car market is also changing. When buying and selling used electric cars, the condition of the installed traction battery is of great importance for the residual and resale value of the entire vehicle. This is because every battery wears out over time and loses power. The value of the battery can be up to 50 percent of the vehicle's value. According to the DAT Report 2024, 31 percent of all car owners surveyed by Deutsche Automobil Treuhand (DAT) cited the battery uncertainty factor as a reason against purchasing a battery-electric vehicle.
Before buying used, battery tests can show how much the battery has aged. This makes it easy to estimate the actual range that can be achieved with the vehicle. But even shortly before the warranty period of the installed traction battery expires, it is worth taking a certified battery test to check whether there is an entitlement to the warranty.
In order to determine the actual battery condition, more and more providers are offering battery checks for used electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles. But there are also battery checks for the home: The Austrian company Aviloo, for example, has developed a manufacturer-independent battery test in which you can determine the state of health of your electric car or plug-in hybrid yourself.
E-car expert clarifies the most frequently asked questions about used e-cars
The motor vehicle expert Ove Kröger, who specialises in e-cars, is a guest in the mobile.de series "Journey into the Green". Kröger has already examined Teslas whose service life far outshines that of most gasoline and diesel engines. Among other things, he explains how to make sure of the condition of the battery before buying