It’s no secret that the battery pack makes up a large portion of the cost when building electric cars. Therefore, battery manufacturers are also under great pressure to reduce the price of batteries. It could be of crucial importance in the transition to electric vehicles.
But what if something happens to the battery pack in a used electric car? Yes, it can get so expensive so quickly that it won’t be worth it to fix the car. This means that even almost new electric cars can be condemned.
Replacing the entire battery pack in some cars can cost nearly half a million kroner, and in extreme cases even more. So it is not difficult to understand that the path to conviction has become shorter. Most insurance companies have changed the condemnation limit to 80 percent on newer cars, so you can avoid nice cars being scrapped. However, some of these high prices are becoming a challenge, also for the insurance industry, says Arne Wohl, communications director at Gensedig.
Sad and unacceptable
He points out that an important change came at the beginning of the new year, which may mean condemning more cars:
Then the government imposed a value-added tax on electric car batteries. This is in addition to the very high prices in the first place. Most people have probably realized that new electric cars are subject to VAT above a certain amount in addition to the weight tax. For some car brands, this is a good deal, while more affordable cars get a little cheaper. Newer cars are also known to be packed with technology, making it more expensive to repair or replace a part that stops working. VAT-charged batteries come at a premium, says Faul.
He adds:
– We at Gjensidige find it sad and unacceptable to condemn “softened” cars that have only been on the road for a few years. Something we believe will become an increasing problem in the future.
Could do cheaper
One thing is damage, as the insurance company will evaluate whether or not the car can be repaired. If the battery “simply” stops working optimally, this is a cost that the car owner must take up with the dealer, if the car is under warranty. In the worst case, the person concerned must cover it himself. Then, of course, there will be a trade-off about whether the car is worth it or not.
Bean also emphasizes that the industry is focusing on finding more affordable solutions:
– Sometimes it is possible to find used spare parts, including used batteries. In addition, in some cases parts of the car battery can be replaced, making replacement and repair cheaper.
Expensive even on the cheap ones
-But it varies a lot from one brand to another?
– Absolutely. It’s important to note that some car brands can have expensive battery packs, but they can also have more affordable models. Individual prices can vary greatly from one car brand to another and from one model to another. We also see that prices can vary significantly over time. It’s not like cheaper electric cars are getting away with cheaper ones. Because even battery packs for an electric car with a retail price of NOK 350,000 can cost more than NOK 200,000. It is important to check the market carefully. Especially if you, as a private person, have to bear the cost yourself,” concludes Arne Wohl.
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