Buying a used car should be a joyous occasion, but a lack of transparency in the trade can dampen the joy. In this sense, the situation has not changed, even with the growing popularity of electric cars. Many drivers are switching to electric cars to reduce harmful emissions and reduce maintenance and repair costs. On the other hand, research conducted by “carVertical” has revealed that electric cars suffer the same types of fraud as internal combustion engine vehicles. Including mileage falsification.
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Even the odometer of an electric car can be “rewinded”
Although countries are gradually reducing the benefits of using electric cars, these vehicles are still easier to maintain. Also, in terms of technology, they are much more advanced than diesel and petrol cars.
Unfortunately, any electric car can also be “rewound”. Such cars have exactly the same digital odometer as any other car. Also, the digital odometer is much easier to manipulate than the mechanical odometer found in older cars.
According to automotive history research firm carVertical, 15.6% of all European vehicles have false mileage. The share of electric cars is quite similar in this regard: 13.4% of electric car odometer readings are manipulated. The data indicates that buyers of electric cars and internal combustion engine vehicles are at nearly the same risk of falsifying mileage.
40% of electric cars have been involved in an accident
One in two used cars in Europe has been involved in a road accident: 43.6% of electric cars have also been involved in an accident, thus reaching the point that damage to such cars is a common occurrence. Electric car drivers mainly commute in cities. Therefore, the number of accidents could increase as the electric car fleet ages.
Traffic accidents can be both minor and serious. Their results can be significant deformation of the chassis, suspension, premature corrosion and damaged batteries. Most of these damages are preventable, but the battery in a damaged electric car needs to be replaced urgently to avoid short circuits or fire hazards. A new battery pack is expensive, so some drivers may try to sell their vehicle as “not beaten or painted.”
The “rewind” of the odometer hides the true state of the battery
Odometer reading is a great way to assess the technical condition of the car. Most electric car manufacturers provide a mileage guarantee of at least 100,000 km for the batteries. But the batteries can last even after the 320,000 km on the odometer.
Driving a vehicle can help determine how much charge is left in the battery. However, relying only on the mileage reading is risky because it can be fake. You can also restart the battery life sensor. Fraudsters can change this data in minutes. Therefore, extra precautions must be taken to ensure that the car is worth its asking price.
“Depending on its capacity, replacing the battery can cost several tens of thousands of euros or even half the value of the car. This is the most expensive part of an electric car. However, in general, maintaining an electric car is cheaper than a car with internal combustion engines,” says Mats Buzelis, communications manager at carVertical.
Used car dealers can make more profit on the vehicles they sell by manipulating mileage data. Therefore, changing the odometer reading as a form of fraud will not disappear anywhere at the moment. As cars become more and more modern, scammers adapt to the development of technology. Current trends indicate that an electrified fleet will not solve this problem.
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