Damaged used EV batteries have the possibility of being repairable ahead of the vehicle’s sale, an expert has said.

David Gray of Cox Automotive’s EV Battery Solutions said that repairs by manufacturer-approved specialists could be viable, depending on the model and the battery technology in question.

Addressing the Vehicle Remarketing Association’s (VRA) first meeting of 2025, Gray said: “When it comes to EV batteries, there is a huge amount of work going on around reuse, recycling, remanufacturing and repair, but it’s really in the last two areas that the biggest strides are being made.

“It doesn’t work for all battery technologies or for all types of damage, but there are instances now where we can carry out viable, economic repairs that will allow dealers to retrieve cars into saleable condition. It’s within reach.

“Our belief is that this situation will improve quite quickly. However, it must be pointed out that a repairable battery design tends to be a more expensive one, and the technology used by some manufacturers creates issues.”

Battery repair was also addressed at the meeting by Ashley Minors of motor trade insurance specialist Boswell Aftermarket.

He said: “There’s an argument that the insurance sector writes off EVs too easily and the perceived cost and difficulty of battery repair and replacement is very much part of this issue.

“Some insurers are doing progressive work in this area though, such as creating training schemes to ensure greater availability of battery specialists who can carry out repairs, while partnering with battery recyclers where repair is not possible.

“It’s all part of a general effort on the part of insurers to help minimise the cost of EV premiums and claims. As more and more data on EV operation is accumulated, and knowledge on EV repair shared, they can make more informed underwriting decisions.”

VRA chair Philip Nothard said: “As more and more EVs start to appear on the used market, the possibility of battery repair is becoming an increasingly salient topic. 

“Obviously, the cost of replacing a damaged battery is prohibitive and will often lead to a vehicle being scrapped. The emergence of cost-effective repair solutions is therefore something of genuine interest to the remarketing sector and the briefings we received at this meeting provided some cause for optimism.”