The 14-point checklist before you sign for a used EV

A used EV looks much the same as a used petrol car on a forecourt. The things to check are entirely different. This list covers what to verify before signing, in the order they matter.

The first five are non-negotiable. The rest are situational but each catches a meaningful issue at least some of the time.

1. Get a battery state of health report

The single most important check. Walk away from any car the dealer can't or won't produce one for. Expect 95%+ at three years old; questions below 92%.

Full background: EV battery state of health, the test every used buyer needs.

2. Verify heat pump fitment in writing

Heat pumps are widely mis-listed on used ads. Fitment lives in the car's options list (Settings → About / Equipment on most modern EVs) or in the dealer's VIN lookup against the manufacturer portal. Salesperson assertions don't count.

This matters more for cold-climate buyers; less for warm-climate town-only drivers. Full context: Heat pumps in EVs, when to insist, when to skip.

3. Check the software version

EVs are software products. Major bugs ship and then get fixed in over-the-air updates, but only if the previous owner accepted them.

Platform	Target version (2026)	Why it matters
VW Group (Enyaq, ID.4, Q4 e-tron, Born)	ME 3.x or later	Earlier ME 2.x has known infotainment glitches
Hyundai E-GMP (Ioniq 5/6, EV6)	4.x or later	Earlier versions had charging-curve limitations on cold batteries
Tesla Model 3/Y	2024.x or later (now 2025/2026)	Multi-year improvements to autopilot, navigation, and energy management
BMW (i4, iX, iX1)	iD8 or later	Pre-iD8 cars feel notably dated

A salesperson should be able to show you this in the car's settings in 30 seconds. If the car is on old software, the new owner can usually update it free at the next service visit.

4. Verify recall completion

UK EV recalls are public via DVSA's database. Most should be actioned by now, but verify against the specific car's VIN.

The dealer's service history should show all recall work completed. If a recall is showing as outstanding, make completion a condition of sale — they'll handle it in a day or two before you collect.

5. Test drive at motorway speed

EVs feel different above 65 mph than below. The 0-30 instant torque that's intoxicating in town can be paired with a 70-mph cruise that's louder, less smooth, or notably less efficient than the brochure suggests. A 10-minute town test drive will not surface either issue.

Insist on at least 15 minutes including a motorway segment. Walk away if the dealer won't allow it.

6. Check rear-seat fit with your actual child seats

If you have child seats, bring them. Isofix positions vary between platforms and what's fine in a showroom photo can be awkward in practice. Sliding rear benches (Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Volvo EX30) make this easier than fixed benches (Tesla Model Y back row).

7. Ask about the 12V battery

EVs still have a small 12V battery that runs the electronics when the main battery is offline. They fail in roughly the same way as petrol-car 12V batteries, and several 2021 - 2022 EVs had a known weak 12V unit.

Ask whether it's been replaced. If yes, get the date. If no, factor £80 - £150 of likely replacement cost in the next two years.

8. Confirm what's included with the sale

Things that should be included and sometimes aren't on used sales:

• Type 2 charging cable (for home/workplace charging)
• Granny lead (3-pin domestic emergency cable)
• All key fobs (most EVs ship with two)
• Original service book and handover pack
• Operating system / manufacturer app account transfer documentation

A missing Type 2 cable alone is £150-£200. Get the inventory in writing.

9. Inspect tyres specifically for EV wear pattern

EVs are heavier and faster off the line than equivalent petrol cars. Tyres wear faster, particularly the rears on rear-wheel-drive EVs (Model 3/Y, Enyaq RWD, ID.4 RWD).

Check tread depth on all four. Anything under 3 mm probably needs replacement within 6 months. EV-specific tyres (EV-rated) are £40 - £80 more per corner than equivalent non-EV models.

10. Run the high-voltage warranty on the VIN

Manufacturers warranty the high-voltage battery and powertrain separately from the rest of the car, usually 7 to 8 years from first registration. Some platforms (Kia, Hyundai) offer 7-year general warranty too.

Ask the dealer to print the warranty status from their portal. The remaining months on the HV warranty significantly affect the car's residual value over the next two years.

11. Check the chargeport for damage and connector wear

The CCS2 port has two parts: the AC port (Type 2) on top and the DC port on the bottom. Look for:

• Cracks or melted plastic around either port
• Bent or discoloured pins on the DC connector
• Loose or rattling port flap
• Burn marks at the contact points

Any of these suggest the car has had a charging mishap or been left in service long-term on a faulty rapid charger. Not necessarily a deal-breaker, but a £50 - £200 repair if the port assembly needs replacement.

12. Confirm the manufacturer app association

Most modern EVs require the previous owner to release the car from their manufacturer app account before you can pair yours. If they don't, you cannot use over-the-air features (remote climate control, pre-heat, lock/unlock, charge scheduling) until the dealer or manufacturer manually de-links the car.

This takes 5 minutes if done at handover. If not, it can take weeks of back-and-forth with customer service. Insist it happens before you drive away.

13. Sense-check the range on the buyer report

If you have a Compass EV buyer report (or any independent estimate of the car's expected range), test it against the trip computer. Set the trip computer to "since last charge", drive your motorway segment, and check the actual mi/kWh display.

If the figure is materially worse than expected (say 2.4 mi/kWh against a 3.0 expected for the car), something is wrong: tyres, alignment, battery health, or possibly the car has been driven hard for an extended period. Worth flagging at the dealer.

You can compare what you actually saw against expected range in conditions using the real-world range calculator.

14. Get the salesperson on email confirming the key facts

Before signing, send the dealer a short email or WhatsApp summarising:

• Heat pump fitment (yes / no)
• Software version on collection (target version agreed)
• Outstanding recalls (none, or to be completed before collection)
• Type 2 cable and granny lead included
• 12V battery replacement date (if applicable)
• Battery SOH at inspection (with the figure)

If they confirm in writing, you have legal recourse if any of it turns out to be wrong. If they refuse to confirm in writing, that itself tells you something about the car.

What the buyer report does with this list

A Compass EV buyer report ends with a personalised version of this checklist, with the items relevant to the specific cars in your shortlist marked up. For instance, on a 2022 Enyaq we add the early-12V-battery flag (item 7) and the ME software version target (item 3); on a Tesla Model Y we add the VIN-origin check (Berlin vs Shanghai).

The intent is to send you to the dealer with a list you can run through item by item, ticking off as you go. A dealer who's seeing a buyer with a printed checklist will treat the transaction notably more carefully than one with a buyer who's there on a Saturday whim. That alone often saves more than £199.