Calls for EV battery health checks in UK’s MOT

Electric vehicle battery testing could be introduced into the UK’s MOT testing system as part of an industry-wide effort to drive the take-up of the second-hand market.

The 4R Battery Alliance, a cross-sector coalition representing stakeholders from across the battery supply chain, has backed the call, saying it would deliver significant benefits to both businesses and consumers.

New MOT rules introduced this year brought in additional safety checks for EVs, including visual inspections of high-voltage cabling and visible battery mountings.

However, battery testing is still not part of the UK’s framework, even though a damaged battery could have safety implications if it fails in use.

Here in Ireland, the NCT uses a standardised On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) inspection to collect data on the vehicle’s battery condition, including State of Health (SoH), as part of the required periodic inspection.

By helping detect safety issues, the 4R Battery Alliance believes testing in the UK would reduce the chances of battery fires and failures, as well as identify degradation patterns and optimal charging strategies.

It said battery testing would also support the used EV market, as it would provide greater clarity and certainty about the SoH of an EV’s battery.

According to a UK YouGov survey, uncertainty over battery health is the leading barrier to purchasing a used electric vehicle.

Tom Rumboll, chair of the 4R Battery Alliance, commented: “EV battery testing is one of the key enablers of a circular economy. Without it, we can’t confidently reuse, repurpose or recycle batteries at scale.

“We see this as part of a broader, industry-wide effort to normalise battery diagnostics and make them an integral part of EV ownership.”