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Buying a high-mileage used EV: battery health at 100,000 miles and beyond (UK)

Published 2026-10-29 · Last updated 2026-10-29 · based on 68 sourced data points and 35 sources

On a high-mileage used EV, the big question is how much battery is left. This guide shows what published battery data says at high mileage for 20 common models, why 100,000 miles matters for the warranty, and how to check a high-mileage car before you buy.

The short answer

• Model medians stay above ADAC's rule of thumb. At 150,000 km, the median for all 20 models in AVILOO's table was between 86.7% and 94.0%.
• Cars of the same model vary a lot. For 11 of the 20 models, the lowest 0.5% of tested cars at 150,000 km were below ADAC's 84% (Audi Q8 e-tron, Škoda Enyaq iV, VW ID.4, Peugeot e-208, Vauxhall/Opel Corsa-e, Audi Q4 e-tron, Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model 3, Renault Zoe, MINI Cooper SE, Nissan Leaf ZE1). A good model average doesn't guarantee a good car.
• 100,000 miles is where most UK battery warranties end. 34 of the 42 long battery-warranty terms we track end at 100,000 miles (or after 7–8 years if sooner). Past that, a weak battery is usually your cost. See the list below.
• Beyond 150,000 km the data gets thin. We found 3 manufacturer figures and 25 single-car results above that mileage (table below). That's too little for model averages.

Battery health at 100,000 and 150,000 km, by model

AVILOO FLASH tests, 2022–2026, cars from many countries; battery sizes grouped under one model name; sorted by the 150,000 km median. AVILOO FLASH Test (3-minute OBD diagnostic; SoH computed by AVILOO's statistical model, not the car's own BMS reading). >500,000 tests 2022–2026, North & South America, Europe, Australia, Asia. Per model: median and central 99% band (p0.5–p99.5). Battery sizes are grouped under one model name. Warranty: time / mileage limit, whichever comes first; check the threshold and conditions on each model page. Compare any of these models on the battery degradation chart.

What the table shows: between 100,000 and 150,000 km the medians fell by 0.7 to 3.0 points. These are cross-sections of different cars at different mileages, not the same cars followed over time, so they don't predict how one car will age.

Why 100,000 miles matters: the battery warranty

Of the 42 UK battery-warranty terms of 7 years or more that we track, 34 have a 100,000-mile limit. The longer limits we found:

• Tesla Model 3 – Model 3 Long Range / Performance (current terms): 8 years / 120,000 miles (Tesla UK)
• Tesla Model Y – Model Y Long Range / Performance (current terms): 8 years / 120,000 miles (Tesla UK)
• Hyundai Kona Electric – Kona EV first produced before 2020: 8 years / 125,000 miles (Hyundai Motor UK)
• Hyundai Ioniq Electric – First produced before 2020: 8 years / 125,000 miles (Hyundai Motor UK)
• BYD Atto 3 – EEA, UK and Switzerland: 8 years / 155,350 miles (BYD)
• BYD Dolphin – EEA, UK and Switzerland: 8 years / 155,350 miles (BYD)
• BYD Seal – EEA, UK and Switzerland: 8 years / 155,350 miles (BYD)
• Smart #1 – UK terms (version 21 Mar 2025): 8 years / 125,000 miles (smart UK Automotive Ltd)

So on most high-mileage cars the battery warranty has ended, or will end soon, whatever the car's age. Check what's left on a specific car with the battery warranty checker and confirm it with the manufacturer using the VIN. If a battery does need work, our UK battery replacement cost guide lists the published prices we could find.

Above 150,000 km (93,000 miles): the published figures

Single cars (n=1) are examples, not averages, and methods differ: an owner's reading of the car's own figure isn't the same as an independent test. Manufacturer figures come from the maker's own fleet data. Range scores (which measure range, not capacity) are left out here; they are on the model pages.

How to check a high-mileage EV before you buy

1. Get an SoH figure for this car. Ask for a recent battery certificate, or pay for an independent test. AVILOO, for example, calculates SoH with its own method rather than copying the car's figure (AVILOO GmbH). Test types and prices are on our buying guide.
2. Compare it with the same model at a similar mileage, using the table above and the model pages, not a general rule. ADAC's rule of thumb for all EVs is at least 92% at 50,000 km, 88% at 100,000 km, 84% at 150,000 km, 80% at 200,000 km (ADAC).
3. Work out the warranty left, in years and miles, with the warranty checker.
4. Check recalls on the registration with the free GOV.UK recall check (GOV.UK). Some model guides list battery recalls: Kona Electric, VW ID.3 & ID.4, IONIQ 5.
5. Ask the seller the right questions with our printable seller questions checklist.

Got a certificate? How to read a battery health certificate. If the battery is worse than described after you buy, see your rights in the UK.

Model guides: Polestar 2 at 100,000 miles · Tesla Model 3 · Tesla Model Y · Nissan Leaf · Renault Zoe · VW ID.3 & ID.4 · Hyundai IONIQ 5 · all 36 models compared.

We are not paid by the battery-test providers mentioned on this page. Links marked "paid link" in the "Useful products and services" box are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

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