EVs don't age like smartphones: the Swedish data that changes the used market

© A. Krivonosov

A large Swedish study has delivered an uncomfortable answer to anyone who still fears used electric cars because of the battery. After 8,200 checks, the average battery state turned out to be 93.7% of factory capacity, and only two cars dropped below 70%.

The tests were carried out by Riddermark Bil using the Aviloo Flash Test. Most cars retained 90–95% of capacity, roughly a third kept more than 95%, and nine out of ten passed the test without major issues. Median mileage was 69,885 km, but even on models averaging over 80,000 km the degradation stayed moderate.

Kia came out on top of the sample. The Niro EV averaged a SoH of 98.1% across 82 checks, the EV6 hit 96.4% across 242 analyses, and the e-Niro reached 96.2% on 207 cars. Tesla is strong on scale: the Model Y with a 60.5 kWh battery held 94.7%, the 78.8 kWh version 93.8% across a sample of 1,127 cars. The Model 3 also holds up confidently: 94.4% and 93.6% depending on the battery.

Volkswagen isn't a leader, but it isn't a flop either. The ID.3 came in at 94%, the ID.4 at 93.6%. That matters more than it looks: the mass-market VW buyer isn't after records, but predictability. The Audi Q4 e-tron at 94.5%, BMW i4 at 95.6%, Volvo XC40 at 95.3% and Skoda Enyaq iV at 93.5% confirm the same picture — modern EVs don't age like smartphones.

But the takeaway isn't that any used EV can be bought blind. Used-market pricing should depend not only on year, mileage and trim, but also on real SoH. Two identical cars can differ on battery thanks to frequent fast-charging, climate, storage at 100% charge and driving style.

This matters especially for buyers without a transparent service history: the battery remains the most expensive part of the car. A SoH report before purchase isn't paranoia, it's normal diagnostics. An EV at 93–95% capacity can be a good deal — but only if that number comes from a test, not from the seller's ad.