A new DEKRA rapid battery test is initially aimed at customers in the used car management sector, such as leasing companies or large car dealerships, as a service offering. Private customers, for whom the issue of battery condition is less of a risk - partly due to corresponding manufacturer warranties - will be addressed at a later date.
The test is based on the measurement of battery characteristics during a test drive. However, the real expertise lies in classifying the measured values. "The process is based on a very elaborate database and a highly complex algorithm," says DEKRA board member Ulrike Hetzel. The basic data is determined in advance for each individual vehicle type with test drives under different conditions. This is followed by structuring and calculation, partly with the help of AI. The type list for which DEKRA can offer the quick test currently includes more than 50 vehicle models. These include various German and European manufacturers (VW, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Renault) but also, for example, Asian makes (Kia, Hyundai). DEKRA is said to now cover around a third of the battery-electric and hybrid vehicles in Germany. The demand for determining the "state of health" of the traction batteries of electric vehicles will grow in the coming years. "Precise and fast determination of the remaining capacity is particularly important in the area of used vehicle management, for example in the case of lease returns, so that the overall process remains economical," explains Ulrike Hetzel.
