Ayvens Carmarket is introducing battery health certificates for used electric vehicles across Europe. This move may seem incremental at first glance, but it could mark a turning point in how the second-hand EV market operates.
The initiative comes from Ayvens, one of the world’s largest mobility and leasing companies. Formed in 2023 through the merger of ALD Automotive and LeasePlan, the group manages around 3.2 million vehicles and operates in more than 40 countries.
Its core business consists of full-service leasing, fleet management, and mobility solutions for companies and private customers. Crucially, Ayvens also controls a vast pipeline of used vehicles returning from lease contracts every year, which it resells through its dedicated remarketing arm, Ayvens Carmarket, to professional dealers across 38 markets.
Remaining battery capacity
It is within that remarketing operation that the company is now rolling out State of Health (SoH) certificates for battery-electric vehicles.
These certificates indicate the remaining battery capacity relative to the original state and are based on data extracted directly from the vehicle’s Battery Management System. The diagnostics are performed by accredited third parties recognized by the European Car Remarketing Association, adding a layer of independence.
Battery health reporting itself is not entirely new, but it has so far remained fragmented and far from standardized. What makes Ayvens’ move noteworthy is its scale and its integration into the resale process.
Given the volumes the company handles, introducing battery certificates across its platform effectively injects this level of transparency into a significant share of the European used EV market.
Half of the car’s total value
The issue it addresses is fundamental. In contrast to combustion-engine vehicles, where mileage and maintenance history provide relatively clear signals of wear and tear, the value of an electric vehicle is heavily dependent on its battery.
This component can represent up to half of the car’s total value, yet buyers have traditionally had limited access to reliable information about its condition. The result has been uncertainty, cautious pricing, and, in many cases, depressed residual values.
Despite persistent concerns, real-world data increasingly show that modern EV batteries degrade far more slowly than initially feared. Studies of large vehicle fleets indicate that many batteries retain 80-90% of their capacity after several years of use, with degradation rates often leveling off over time.
Exceed the vehicle’s usable life
In some cases, battery lifespan is now expected to match, or even exceed, the vehicle’s usable life. However, the lack of transparent and standardized information at the point of resale continues to fuel uncertainty among buyers. It is precisely this perception gap – rather than actual technical limitations – that initiatives such as Ayvens’ battery health certificates aim to address.
For leasing companies like Ayvens, this is more than a theoretical concern. Their business model depends on accurately forecasting the future value of vehicles upon return after three to five years.
As electric vehicles become a larger share of fleets, uncertainty about battery degradation directly translates into financial risk. By providing verifiable battery health data at the point of resale, Ayvens aims to reduce that uncertainty, support stronger residual values, and improve liquidity in the used EV market.
Broader shift within the sector
The move also reflects a broader shift within the sector. Car manufacturers, such as Tesla, Volkswagen, and Renault, already collect extensive battery data through their vehicles’ onboard systems, but have generally been cautious about sharing them openly in the secondary market.
Concerns about liability, warranty exposure, and data control have slowed the emergence of a common standard, leaving room for independent and market-driven initiatives to fill the gap.
At the same time, regulation is moving toward greater transparency. The European Union’s EU Battery Regulation foresees the introduction of a digital battery passport later this decade, which will include detailed information on battery composition, lifecycle, and performance.
Although full implementation is still a few years away, initiatives such as Ayvens’ SoH certificates can be seen as an early step toward that future framework.
In terms of reliability, Ayvens’ approach is generally considered robust. The certificates rely on data directly from the vehicle’s own systems and are validated by independent parties.
However, they remain a snapshot of the battery’s current condition rather than a guarantee of future performance. State-of-Health metrics can also vary between manufacturers, making comparisons across brands less straightforward.
Even with these limitations, the broader impact could be significant. As more electric vehicles enter the second-hand market, transparent and standardized battery information is likely to become a basic requirement rather than a differentiator.
