The most expensive component in a used electric vehicle cannot be assessed reliably from the estimated range on the dashboard or from a short test drive. At Autoservis Garant, we inspect the available diagnostic data for the traction battery, its State of Health, stored faults and related vehicle systems. No appointment is needed and the check is carried out while you wait.
- ✅ No appointment needed
- ✅ Carried out while you wait
- ✅ Professional TOPDON and Bosch diagnostic equipment
- ✅ The findings are explained clearly by a technician
- ✅ Option to combine the battery check with a full pre-purchase inspection
Email: servis@autoservis-garant.cz
Ondřej Janeček – Service Adviser at Autoservis Garant
Official profile and photograph: https://www.autoservis-garant.cz/team/ondrej-janecek/
Do not buy a used electric car without checking its most expensive component
The condition of the traction battery has a major effect on the car’s usable range, performance, charging speed and resale value. Two vehicles of the same age and with the same mileage may have batteries in very different condition. Battery health is influenced by how the vehicle has been used and charged, operating temperatures, vehicle software and the design of the battery itself.
A professional diagnostic check provides a better basis for your purchase decision than the seller’s assurance or the range shown on the instrument display. It may identify warning signs, stored faults and discrepancies between the vehicle’s advertised condition and the information available through its control units.
I WANT TO HAVE A USED ELECTRIC CAR CHECKED – +420 774 998 535
Selling an electric car? Provide evidence of its condition
Buyers increasingly ask about traction-battery health when considering a used electric vehicle. A current diagnostic report, together with a clear explanation from a technician, can make the advert more credible, shorten negotiations and reduce pressure for an unjustified discount. The check is not a guarantee of the battery’s future service life; it provides the technical information available at the time of inspection.
I AM SELLING AN EV – I WANT TO DOCUMENT THE BATTERY CONDITION
What we check during EV battery diagnostics
The information available varies according to the vehicle manufacturer, model, year of manufacture and the diagnostic access provided by the manufacturer. Where supported by the vehicle, we check:
- vehicle identification and communication with the relevant control units
- stored and current fault codes relating to the high-voltage system
- the available State of Health (SoH) value reported or calculated by the vehicle
- State of Charge (SoC)
- available traction-battery voltage and temperature data
- available voltage or temperature differences between cells or modules
- available data relating to charging and battery thermal management
- the related 12-volt system, where included in the agreed scope
Before starting, we confirm which information the particular vehicle makes available. Not every electric vehicle provides the same data to multi-brand diagnostic equipment.
What do SoH, SoC and BMS mean?
SoH – State of Health
State of Health is an estimate of the battery’s condition compared with its reference condition. It is not the same as the current charge level, and values from different manufacturers may not be directly comparable. With standard diagnostics, SoH may be a value calculated and stored by the vehicle’s battery management system rather than an independent measurement of usable capacity over a complete discharge cycle.
SoC – State of Charge
State of Charge shows how much energy is currently stored in the battery. A battery can be charged to 100 per cent whilst having reduced long-term capacity. A high SoC therefore does not in itself prove that the battery is in good condition.
BMS – Battery Management System
The battery management system monitors operating values, protects the battery and communicates with other vehicle systems. Diagnostic equipment reads the information made available by the BMS and other control units.
Dashboard range is not a battery-health test
The estimated range changes according to recent energy consumption, outside temperature, speed, driving style, heating or air-conditioning use, route profile and current State of Charge. The same electric vehicle may therefore show a substantially different range from one day to the next. The dashboard figure alone does not prove usable battery capacity or consistency between cells.
How the electric vehicle battery check works
- Bring the vehicle to Autoservis Garant without an appointment. If you are buying it, you may attend with the seller.
- The technician confirms the exact model and the diagnostic information available for that vehicle.
- We connect professional TOPDON or Bosch diagnostic equipment and read the available data from the relevant control units.
- We assess the findings in the context of the particular vehicle. A single SoH figure may not provide the full picture.
- You receive the available diagnostic output, and the technician explains the findings, stored faults and limitations of the check.
What you receive after the check
- diagnostic output within the scope supported by the particular vehicle
- a summary of detected faults and available traction-battery values
- a clear explanation from the technician
- a recommendation on whether further investigation or repair is advisable
- the option to proceed with a full pre-purchase inspection of the electric vehicle
What a clearly presented battery report may contain
The output supplied by Autoservis Garant will always reflect the information made available by the particular vehicle and diagnostic equipment. To illustrate how a software-based vehicle assessment may be organised, the page may link to the official sample Bosch Vehicle Health Certificate. Depending on the vehicle, it may summarise vehicle identification, high-voltage battery health, fault codes, service status and other data stored in the control units.
Important: this document is an external example of the Bosch system, not an Autoservis Garant report. Issuing the same certificate requires a supported vehicle, a Bosch KTS 560 or 590, ESI[tronic] and the activated Vehicle Health Certificate service.
SAMPLE REPORT DOWNLOAD: UKAZKOVY_REPORT_BOSCH.pdf
Official Bosch source: https://www.boschaftermarket.com/gb/en/services/service-solutions/bosch-vehicle-health-certificate/
When is an EV battery test particularly worthwhile?
- before buying a used battery-electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid
- before selling a vehicle when you want to document the battery condition
- when the vehicle’s range has fallen unexpectedly
- when charging is unusually slow, interrupted or restricted
- when an electric-drive or high-voltage-system warning appears
- after the vehicle has been unused for a long period
- before the traction-battery warranty expires
- when comparing several used electric vehicles
Battery diagnostics and a full pre-purchase EV inspection
The traction battery is not the only potential risk in a used electric vehicle. Depending on the agreed scope, a full pre-purchase inspection can also cover the suspension, brakes, tyres, bodywork, air-conditioning and thermal-management systems, charging system, stored faults and other available electronic systems.
Unlike a mobile battery check, Autoservis Garant has full workshop facilities, vehicle lifts and the ability to continue with further diagnostics or repairs. For the strongest basis on which to make a purchase decision, we recommend combining the battery check with a full pre-purchase inspection.
EV battery checks for motor traders and businesses
We can provide repeatable electric-vehicle checks with a consistent scope for used-car dealers, fleet operators and businesses. The resulting information can support vehicle appraisal, pricing, sale or end-of-lease return. Contact Ondřej Janeček to agree the scope and reporting format.
ENQUIRE ABOUT EV BATTERY CHECKS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Professional TOPDON and Bosch diagnostics
We use professional multi-brand diagnostic equipment from TOPDON and Bosch. On supported electric vehicles, this equipment enables communication with control units, reading of fault codes and display of available live and stored data. The precise scope always depends on the particular vehicle, the diagnostic software version and the active licences.
Limitations of EV battery diagnostics
- A rapid diagnostic check cannot predict the battery’s remaining service life with complete certainty.
- Not every vehicle allows access to the same parameters or to data for every individual cell.
- A State of Health value read from the BMS is not necessarily the same as an independent measurement of usable capacity over a defined discharge cycle.
- A short check does not replace long-term monitoring, battery removal or direct testing of individual modules.
- The findings are affected by the vehicle’s design, current charge level, temperature, software, data availability and test conditions.
You receive the available technical data, a professional assessment and a clear explanation of what can and cannot reasonably be concluded from the findings.
EV battery testing in Prague without an appointment
We are an express-service workshop. EV battery checks are available without an appointment, while you wait, at all three Autoservis Garant branches. The scope depends on compatibility with the particular vehicle. If you are attending with the seller or travelling from further afield, we recommend telephoning Ondřej Janeček before setting off to confirm current capacity at your chosen branch.
- Prague 3 – Jarov: Na Jarově 2424/2, 130 00 Prague 3
- Prague 10 – Strašnice: Průběžná 3210/80b, 100 00 Prague 10
- Prague 4 – Michle: Na Křivině 1371/1, 140 00 Prague 4
What customers say about Ondřej Janeček and Autoservis Garant
“The warranty service was carried out without an appointment. Thank you to technician Mr Janeček for explaining the repair.”
Roubíček – warranty service, May 2017
“I have been bringing my car (a BMW E46) to you for a long time because I trust you.”
Baudyšová – long-standing customer
These are faithful English translations of customer comments published on Ondřej Janeček’s official Autoservis Garant profile. They must not be presented as reviews of the EV battery-check service itself.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check the battery condition of a used electric car?
Professional diagnostics can read the available BMS data, State of Health, fault codes and related operating values. A specialised test over a defined discharge cycle may be required where a more detailed assessment of usable capacity is needed.
What does battery State of Health mean?
State of Health is an indicator of the battery’s estimated condition compared with a reference condition. The calculation method varies between vehicle manufacturers and diagnostic systems.
Is State of Health the same as the current charge level?
No. The current charge level is State of Charge. A battery may show 100 per cent State of Charge whilst having reduced long-term capacity.
Do I need to make an appointment?
No. We are an express-service workshop and accept vehicles without an appointment. If you are attending with a seller, we recommend calling first to confirm vehicle compatibility and current workshop capacity.
Can every electric vehicle be tested?
The information available and the scope of the check vary by manufacturer, model, year of manufacture and diagnostic support. Our technician will confirm compatibility for the particular vehicle.
Can you also check a plug-in hybrid?
High-voltage battery data can be read from many plug-in hybrid models. Please confirm compatibility for the particular model before visiting.
Will I receive a report?
You receive the diagnostic output available for the particular vehicle, together with an explanation of the findings from the technician.
Can the test identify a defective cell?
Only where the vehicle makes the required values available and the deviation is present during the check. A rapid diagnostic scan cannot guarantee detection of every internal defect.
Can you determine the battery’s actual capacity?
A rapid diagnostic check generally uses information from the vehicle’s control units. Accurate measurement of usable capacity may require a specialised test over a defined discharge cycle.
Can the findings help when negotiating the price?
They can provide a more objective technical basis for negotiation. The battery findings should still be considered alongside the condition of the vehicle as a whole.
Is a battery check enough before buying an electric vehicle?
No. We recommend also checking the suspension, brakes, tyres, bodywork, charging system, air-conditioning and thermal management, stored faults and vehicle documentation.
Can I bring a car from a dealership or used-car lot?
Yes, provided that the seller agrees to the vehicle being taken away for inspection. A workshop with diagnostic equipment and a vehicle lift provides the most comprehensive assessment.
What should I bring with me?
Bring the vehicle, all keys and any available service records. If you are considering buying the car, the owner must consent to the diagnostic check.
Visit us today – no appointment needed
Are you buying or selling an electric vehicle, or investigating a reduction in range? Call technician Ondřej Janeček or visit Autoservis Garant. We will confirm which diagnostic information is available for your vehicle and explain the findings clearly.