buy or sell a used EV with confidence

with an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) car it's widely accepted that the odometer and the number of kilometres travelled is a good indication of overall health of the car and it's most important components. With an EV, by far the most critical component is the battery and a car that has done 100,000 kms could be in better shape than a car that has travelled 50,000 kms. The battery may have been impacted by the number of charge cycles or whether it was charged to 100% every time, or an excessive amount of DC fast charging, hot/cold temperature driving, the list goes on, and all of these can differ between cell chemistries.

In Australia in 2024, there are 2 main chemistries for Li-ion batteries. MNC batteries have been around for years and the acronym is related to the material used for the cathode (Manganese, Nickel & Cobalt) whereas the more recent Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) is gaining traction as more carmakers are using these more sustainable cathode materials. Chemical Composition: NMC: Cathode consist of nickel, manganese, and cobalt. LFP: Cathode made up of lithium, iron, and phosphate. Energy Density: NMC: Higher energy density, which makes them ideal for long-range electric vehicles that require extended driving ranges. LFP: Lower energy density, more appropriate for short to medium range electric vehicles, often used in urban or commuter settings. Cost: NMC: More expensive due to the cost of nickel and cobalt in their composition. LFP: Generally cheaper to produce as they use more abundant and less expensive materials. Safety: NMC: Lower thermal stability and a higher risk of thermal runaway, although they are still lower fire risk than ICE vehicles. LFP: Higher thermal stability with a lower risk of thermal issues. Cycle Life: NMC: Tends to have a shorter cycle life, especially if subjected to frequent fast charging. LFP: Offers a longer cycle life, better handling the stress of regular charging and discharging cycles. Temperature Performance: NMC: Performs well in colder climates but can be sensitive to high temperatures. LFP: Performs less efficiently in cold weather but remains stable and reliable even in higher temperatures. Environmental Impact: NMC: Has a higher environmental impact due to mining and processing of nickel and cobalt. LFP: More environmentally friendly with a lower overall impact due to the use of more common and less harmful materials. Fast Charging: NMC: Less resilient of fast charging and this can accelerate battery degradation and shorten overall lifespan. LFP: Generally slower to charge but more resilient to the effects of frequent fast charging sessions. Charge Best Practices: NMC: It's best to avoid consistently charging to 100% and deep discharges. Maintaining a charge level between 40% and 80% can help extend battery life. LFP: More tolerant to varied charging habits, including regular full charges, making them easier to manage for daily use.

The battery pack in an EV is made to last the lifetime of the vehicle. However, EV batteries will slowly begin to lose the amount of energy they can store over time. This phenomenon is called “battery degradation” and can result in reduced energy capacity, range, power, and overall efficiency. Unfortunately, battery degradation is not easy to predict. Not all brands perform the same, and every vehicle is different in how it is driven, charged and maintained. On the bright side, it’s not uncommon for modern EV batteries to last more than 10 years, and some will go well beyond that before needing to be replaced. It’s important to note that battery degradation has been known to worsen in a couple of scenarios: If an EV battery is repeatedly driven down close to zero range, and then is charged from low to full charge routinely (not so relevant for LFP batteries, please see the FAQ on this) If a driver frequently uses DC Fast Charging (also different for LFP). As such, most makers recommend limiting DC Fast Charging and not making it a primary source of charge. Environmental factors, such as continued exposure to extreme temperatures, which for most Australians will be heat rather than cold can impact battery performance and may lead to degradation. Most modern EVs have good Battery Management Systems (BMS) to control the cooling of the battery to negate this somewhat. To maintain your EV battery at peak performance, it is recommended to keep it charged to between 60 percent and 80 percent, minimise fast charging and avoid extreme temperatures over long periods of time. 

no we only test the battery health. This is a simple and non-invasive process where we plug our equipment into the On-Board Diagnotics (OBD) port of the car which talks directly to the Battery Management System (BMS).

It's a very simple process. We plug our equipment into the OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) port, usually found just under the dash near the steering wheel. It then starts to communicate with the BMS (Battery Management System) and interrogates all of the battery components including the individual battery cells, downloading the data into our equipment. The whole process only takes several minutes. Once TakeCharge has the data, it is uploaded to our secure cloud where it is analysed, generating a report which is then emailed to you.