Used electric car battery problems to check for

What goes wrong with used electric car batteries?

Mostly slow capacity loss, which cuts the range, and on a few models, faults serious enough for a safety recall. Every lithium-ion battery holds a little less charge as it ages and goes through charging cycles. The RAC says regularly charging to full, running the battery flat and frequent rapid charging all speed that up.

Telematics firm Geotab, in a January 2026 study of more than 22,700 electric vehicles, puts the average loss at 2.3% of the battery's capacity a year. It's around 1.5% for cars mainly on AC or lower-power charging, and up to 3% for those relying heavily on DC rapid charging above 100kW. Heat and long spells at very high or very low charge add to the wear.

Electric cars also have a small 12-volt battery, like a petrol car, and it goes flat in the same way. In breakdown figures the AA published in September 2021, the 12-volt battery and tyres were the top two causes of electric car breakdowns, as they were for petrol and diesel cars.

Which used electric cars have had battery problems?

These cars have a battery problem on the record: a safety recall on GOV.UK's recall service, or a known weakness that reviewers report. They're listed in no order, and this isn't every electric car with a recall.

Checked against GOV.UK's recall service and the reviews in the sources. A recall covers only the cars its maker names, by VIN, so not every car of these models is affected. The records don't show whether a car had the work done. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Hyundai Kona Electric and Ioniq Electric

GOV.UK's recall service lists two battery recalls for Kona Electrics built from 2018 to 2020. The first, in October 2020, covered 1,672 cars whose battery management system might be faulty, or whose cells might in extreme cases be damaged: Hyundai updated the software, checked the battery's data, and replaced a module or the whole battery where needed. The second, in April 2021, covered 1,214 Kona and Ioniq Electrics at risk of an electrical short in the battery: Hyundai limited the charge first, then replaced the whole battery. Some Ioniq Electrics built in 2019 and 2020 are listed under the same April 2021 recall. In May 2026 Hyundai recalled 25,056 Kona Electrics, listed under the name Kona OS EV and built from 2018 to 2023, whose battery cells might drift apart in voltage, risking a short circuit inside the battery. The fix is a battery software update. Until then Hyundai recommends parking in a well-ventilated area, and says the car can be used as normal.

In June 2026 Hyundai recalled 8,299 Ioniq Electrics, listed for 2018 to 2022, whose battery cells might drift apart in voltage, risking a short circuit inside the battery. The fix is a software update, or a new battery if needed, and until then Hyundai recommends parking the car in a well-ventilated area, and says it can be used as normal.

Jaguar I-Pace

The I-Pace has several battery recalls on GOV.UK's service, most for a risk of the battery overheating. In June 2023 Jaguar recalled 26,137 cars for software that watches for battery conditions that may lead to overheating. In April 2024 it recalled 264 cars whose batteries had cells made on or before 31 May 2018: each gets a new battery, or Jaguar buys the car back. In March 2026 it recalled 16,291 cars of the 2019 to 2021 model years, because evidence from cars on the road showed a risk of overheating remained after the software was fitted. Until a permanent fix is ready, their charge is limited to 90%.

Nissan Leaf (2011 to 2018)

Parkers calls the first-generation Leaf reliable, but lists fading battery packs as a weakness, starting at around eight years old. The car's own gauge shows capacity as 12 bars when new. On a test drive, Parkers says a five-mile run should lose no more than one bar. The Leaf came with a 24kWh or a 30kWh battery, and the heavier gross weight on the driver's door pillar plate and the V5C, 1,970kg against 1,945kg, marks the bigger one. Nissan's UK warranty page lists a 5-year or 60,000-mile battery guarantee for Leafs from before the 2022 model year, so check the car's warranty booklet.

Renault Zoe

When the Zoe launched in 2013, Renault let buyers lease the battery instead of paying for it up front, and What Car? warns that you may have to add the lease to the price of an early car. Ask the seller whether the battery is leased, and get the lease terms in writing before you buy. What Car?'s Reliability Survey also finds charging and battery management faults among owners' complaints, some needing several dealer visits to fix.

How can I check the health of a second-hand electric car battery?

Ask for a battery state of health (SoH) report, which shows how much of its original capacity the battery still holds.

1. 1

   Ask for a battery health certificate

   Many retailers can supply one from an independent firm, Drive says. It gives the battery's state of health as a percentage.

2. 2

   Get it tested if there's no certificate

   Battery checking services can test and certify it, or a plug-in reader can show the figure, since few cars show it on their own screen.

3. 3

   Read the car's own gauge, where it has one

   On a first-generation Nissan Leaf, count the capacity bars out of 12, and watch how fast they drop on the test drive.

4. 4

   Do a range test

   Charge to 100%, drive a mixed route down to 10%, and compare the miles covered with the maker's claimed range.

5. 5

   Ask how it was charged

   A car charged mostly on public rapid chargers can have a more worn battery than one charged at home.

6. 6

   Check its recalls

   Enter the car's registration on GOV.UK's recall check to see safety recalls not yet checked or fixed. Without the registration, search by make, model and year.

What battery warranty do electric cars have?

Most makers cover the battery for around eight years or 100,000 miles, against it falling below about 70% of its original capacity, the RAC says. Drive adds that the cover generally passes to the next owner. Here's what four makers' UK pages say.

Checked on the makers' UK pages on 26 October 2026. Ask what servicing each maker's cover needs, and check the service history.

Can a car history check show an electric car's battery health?

No: CarCanny's full report doesn't check the battery's health, so you still need a battery report. What it does help with is the warranty, since its limits count from first registration and the mileage. The full report shows the date the car was first registered and every MOT test with its mileage, and checks whether the mileage ever went down between MOT tests. It also checks finance, write-off and stolen. A car's first MOT is due on the third anniversary of its registration, so a younger car has no MOT mileage readings yet.

Check a car for free

The full report says whether the DVSA records an outstanding safety recall. A franchised dealer can confirm the work, and GOV.UK lists each campaign.

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Written by

Maciej Kalka

Car enthusiast at CarCanny

Maciej is a researcher at vlayer, the company behind CarCanny, working on zero-knowledge proofs and applied cryptography. Before vlayer, Maciej was a doctoral researcher in physics at AGH University of Krakow.