Battery condition is the single most important — and most expensive — variable in a used EV. Ask for a State of Health (SOH) report: in China, dealers and authorized service centers can read it via the manufacturer diagnostic system. It shows remaining capacity as a percentage of the original. Rule of thumb: above 90% is excellent, 85-90% is acceptable for the price, below 80% needs a serious price cut or battery refurbishment. Also get the battery's full charge and discharge history (次数) — a 3-year-old car with 800 fast-charge cycles has lived a harder life than one with 200. Physically, inspect the battery pack enclosure on a lift for dents, corrosion, or coolant leaks. Check that DC fast charging works during a test charge. Finally, verify the battery is not covered by an open recall or replacement program — this is both a risk and sometimes a free upgrade.

The inspection report only represents the physical condition of the vehicle at the moment the inspection was completed (down to the minute). Once the vehicle begins long-distance inland towing or international shipping, the report no longer guarantees the future condition due to drastic environmental changes.

State of Health (SOH) tells you how much of the original battery capacity remains. Here's how to use it. Reading the report: SOH is usually shown as a percentage of original capacity. A car at 90% SOH retains roughly 90% of its original range. Also check for cell imbalance (voltage spread between modules)—a low SOH with balanced cells is often fine, but high imbalance causes sudden range drops and charging problems. Acceptable thresholds: for a car under 3 years old, expect 90%+ SOH. For 3-5 years, 85-90% is normal. Below 80% SOH, the battery may soon need replacement—replacement costs can exceed the car's value, so negotiate hard or walk away. How to verify: don't trust a screenshot. Ask for a live screen recording of the diagnostic app (like the brand's official tool) starting from the car's VIN page. Cross-check the fast-charging curve: a healthy battery charges at near-peak rate up to 60-70%; a degraded one tapers early. Finally, remember that hot climates degrade batteries faster—if the car spent its life in southern China, scrutinize SOH more carefully.