Stuttgart – More and more customers are opting for electric and hybrid vehicles. As these cars gradually come onto the used market, their residual value is specifically influenced by one important factor: the traction battery can account for up to 50 percent of the vehicle’s value, so its condition is crucial for determining a residual value in line with the market. A certified battery test for electric cars developed by the Austrian company AVILOO determines the battery condition in a detailed, objective and manufacturer-independent manner.
The GTÜ Society for Technical Monitoring mbH will be offering the AVILOO battery test in Germany from mid-February 2022, thereby closing an important gap in the market for vehicle dealers and end consumers. The battery certificate and everything that is necessary to carry out the test can be ordered online HERE. The AVILOO battery diagnostic device is available at selected GTÜ test centers. Of course, our on-site experts provide support when connecting the diagnostic device to the vehicle.
AVILOO is the first company in the world with a comprehensive diagnostic process for the drive batteries of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. It was created on the basis of intensive research work. “Traction batteries are chemical energy stores that are subject to a natural aging process due to stress and lose their storage capacity over time. Likewise, usage behavior such as permanent driving in the upper power range or frequent charging with high charging power can lead to faster battery aging,” emphasizes Nikolaus Mayerhofer, Chief Technical Officer at AVILOO. “When buying a used vehicle with a combustion engine, we also inquire about the “health” of the engine in order to find out what consequential costs may have to be expected. With an electric vehicle, it’s the battery that we should check,” says Michel Varga, an electric mobility expert at GTÜ. “Thanks to the battery diagnosis, we can now determine the value of an electric vehicle more precisely and inform the buyer of possible risks in good time. Thanks to our many years of extensive experience, we provide AVILOO with valuable practical insights.”
“We are pleased that consumers and companies in Germany will now also benefit from objectively determined battery safety in every transaction of an electric car,” says Wolfgang Berger, Chief Executive Officer of AVILOO. Robert Köstler, CEO of GTÜ, adds: “The condition of the battery has a significant impact on the residual value of a vehicle. Studies have shown that the sale of a used compact electric car with a corresponding battery certificate could result in an additional amount of several hundred euros. It is therefore important to set the course for an objective battery test now. With AVILOO we have found an ideal partner and look forward to the joint, gradual market launch in Germany.”
The AVILOO battery check is purely data-based and without removing the battery. Ordered online or picked up at selected GTÜ test centers, the self-diagnosis can be carried out quickly by anyone – including end-users, of course. The battery tester, a state-of-the-art IoT device (“Internet of Things”), is simply plugged into the OBD interface in the vehicle. The device then analyzes the battery data during everyday trips, during which the battery is discharged to 10 percent of its capacity, and sends it to the AVILOO Battery Cloud for evaluation. The battery certificate that is then created is based on the analysis of millions of data points. With a percentage, it describes precisely how far the drive battery has aged. Overall, the procedure is very simple: the registered user receives a link on their mobile phone and is safely and conveniently guided through the test step by step.
The end customer price for the test and certificate is 49 euros at market launch (all prices including VAT). For a surcharge of 30 euros, AVILOO offers interested e-mobility insiders a personal interview for a detailed interpretation of the test values achieved. These introductory prices are valid up to and including March 31, 2022. There is a pre-order voucher for both variants, which offers a price guarantee beyond this period. After that, the battery test including the certificate costs 99 euros.
No matter which variant is chosen: The AVILOO battery certificate is a sensible investment for owners, buyers, and sellers of a vehicle with an electric or plug-in hybrid drive because a concealed defective battery can cause costs in the five-digit range.
