Helping auto retailers reveal battery risks and protect vehicle values
Generational, a UK-based innovator in EV battery condition diagnostics, has launched cell-level voltage testing for EV batteries, providing non-technical staff at automotive retailers deeper visibility into battery performance and the ability to identify potential issues before they impact value, drivability or customer satisfaction
The new capability extends Generational’s battery diagnostics platform, enabling retailers to assess voltage balance across individual cells in a battery pack. While overall battery health is a critical indicator, imbalances between cells can reveal issues that may not appear in headline metrics. This is because the State of Health reflects overall capacity, while voltage balance shows how evenly cells charge and discharge relative to one another.
In a modern EV battery pack, hundreds of individual lithium-ion cells operate as a single system, and to ensure optimal performance, all cells must remain closely balanced in voltage. If a cell drops below the others, it can cause several downstream issues for the vehicle.
Small differences between cells can arise from factors such as temperature variation, charging patterns, and natural ageing. While these differences may initially be minor, they can compound and lead to measurable imbalance within the pack.
First, a weaker cell can limit the pack’s performance as the battery management system must protect it during charge and discharge cycles, cutting off earlier on discharge and stopping charge sooner than the healthier cells would require. This means available range and drivability are constrained by the lowest-performing cell, even if the majority of the pack remains in good condition.
Second, sustained imbalance can necessitate module replacement, a repair that can cost thousands of pounds and affect resale value. In more advanced cases, persistent imbalance can place additional stress on other cells, increasing the risk of accelerated degradation across the pack.
For automotive retailers, identifying these issues early can reduce risk when acquiring, valuing, or retailing used EVs.
Generational’s new cell-level voltage testing enables mechanics and non-technical dealer staff to detect abnormal variance between cells, allowing them to determine whether a battery is operating within normal parameters or requires further investigation.
By quantifying the spread between the highest and lowest cell voltages, retailers can gain clearer insight into whether a battery is well-balanced or showing early signs of divergence. This added transparency can support more accurate vehicle appraisals, reduce costly surprises during ownership and strengthen buyer confidence in the used EV market.
The launch comes as battery transparency is increasingly important across the automotive industry. Generational’s recent Battery Performance Index, based on over 8,000 EV battery assessments across the UK, found that the average State of Health is 95.15%, with 8 to 9-year-old vehicles retaining a medium 85% capacity.
However, the study also found that variance between vehicles increases as they age, highlighting the importance of detailed testing to identify underperforming batteries within the broader population of well-performing ones. Crucially, two batteries with similar State of Health can behave differently in real-world use if one has a significant cell imbalance.
As battery condition is becoming a defining factor in EV valuation and consumer confidence, transparent diagnostics are becoming essential market infrastructure.
Combining an overall battery health assessment with cell-level voltage analysis enables Generational to provide retailers with a clearer understanding of battery condition when buying, stocking, and selling EVs.
Oliver Phillpott, CEO of Generational, said, “For EV batteries to operate as intended, every cell in the pack needs to remain balanced. When one cell begins to drop out of line, it can limit the performance of the entire battery, affecting range and drivability, and in some cases leading to expensive module replacement.
“For most dealers, getting a meaningful read on EV battery condition has meant sending it to a workshop – slow, costly and often not practical at the point of appraisal. Generational’s tool enables anyone on the forecourt to run a test, yielding results that are understandable and actionable. For retailers, this means more confident pricing and a reduction in risk.”
For dealers and remarketers, the benefits extend beyond risk management. Transparent battery diagnostics can accelerate sales by addressing battery reliability, one of the most common consumer concerns about used EVs. Technically-minded consumers are an increasing share of the used EV market. For those buyers, dealers can go beyond a headline health score and present an independent check on every individual cell in the battery.
With EV volumes expanding through the used-vehicle market, advanced battery diagnostics will become a standard part of vehicle appraisals, as service history and mileage verification are today.
The launch of cell-level voltage testing marks the next step in Generational’s mission to support the used EV ecosystem, enabling automotive retailers to trade EVs with greater confidence, accuracy, and profitability.
