ZDK cooperates with Aviloo and aims to increase trust in electric car purchases
The German Motor Vehicle Trade Association (ZDK) has entered into a strategic cooperation with the Austrian battery diagnostics company Aviloo. The aim is to increase trust in e-mobility through reliable battery diagnostics when selling used electric vehicles. According to a press release, the Bonn-based trade association wants to strengthen trust in the drive technology in the growing market for used electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids through "certified and independently provided software solutions" that assess the remaining capacity of e-traction batteries on a solid basis. The provider’s solutions can now be used by members of the association, which in Germany represents, among others, around 36,000 car dealerships and workshops at a discounted price.
Increasing trust with transparency
According to ZDK, the cooperation aims to create more safety and transparency in the e-car market. According to the report, the decision was made in favor of the Vienna start-up, which claims to be the "world market leader in battery diagnostics for e-cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles," after a careful selection process among several providers. For example, Mahle has also brought its own solution specifically for workshops to the market with charging function. Reliable diagnostic methods are crucial, especially for car dealerships, when it comes to selling used e-cars. Thomas Peckruhn, ZDK Vice President and spokesperson of the trade says:
"The battery condition of used electric vehicles is an important sales factor. And we also face the challenge of often unknown actual battery condition (State of Health, SoH) and the remaining capacity of the traction battery when procuring, reselling, and privately selling used electric cars."
With the cooperation, they now want to offer dealers an "manufacturer-independent" solution in this area, which can be applied quickly and easily and provides reliable statements about the condition of the vehicle. When selecting the provider, they paid particular attention to factors such as the qualitative significance of the battery tests and the affordability of the test for customers.
Available in several European countries
The start-up Aviloo, founded in 2017, developed its independent test method for battery-electric and hybrid vehicles by 2019, financially supported by several public funding sources as part of the European Green Deal. To ensure sufficient reliability, the company, which claims to have the goal of revolutionizing the used car market for electric cars, subsequently optimized the innovation accordingly. In collaboration with ÖAMTC, the Austrian equivalent to ADAC, the "Aviloo Premium Battery Test" was first launched in Austria in 2021. The introduction of the "Aviloo Flash Test" followed in 2022 as the "world's fastest, most comprehensive battery test" in the European market.
Two variants at an affordable price
The cooperation now includes the two software solutions released by Aviloo, certified by TÜV and the quality management tool Cara, "Flash Test" and "Premium Test." The products are thus available to ZDK member companies at a lower price. According to the report, the two products are "among the most precise and fastest diagnostic tools for the drive batteries of e-vehicles." The Flash Test can reportedly determine the functional capability of the drive battery within 3 minutes while the vehicle is stationary. The more complex Premium Test, described on the website as the "most comprehensive test on the market," can, for example, narrow down battery defects to the cell level and determine the existing remaining range. A certificate then lists the results.
Increasing attractiveness
The currently reportedly rather lacking acceptance of battery-electric drive technology is partly associated with the uncertainty about the condition and capacity of high-voltage batteries in older e-cars. For example, the battery diagnostic expert is already working with Hyundai car dealers in Germany. And the Bonn-based ZDK is also engaged, alongside supporting the automotive industry, in media efforts to increase acceptance of e-mobility among consumers, aiming to familiarize even young people with the technology as early as possible. For instance, the "Electric is Easy" social media campaign was launched at Automechanika 2024 to inspire young people for the electricity-based propulsion form.
High expectations from customers
According to Aviloo's data, the company conducted an international remarketing study this year which should prove that a neutral, independent battery certificate is among the most important decision criteria for potential buyers of used e-vehicles. And not just that: for about 75 percent of customers, such a qualified certification is even considered a matter of course. Regarding the diagnostic process of the basic solution, Dr. Marcus Berger, CEO of Aviloo, a company supported by Austrian federal ministries and the European Commission, says:
"In the case of the Flash Test, you receive the precise, comprehensive test result via email just three minutes after connecting the test box to the vehicle's OBD connection. The method detects battery defects down to the cell level and provides exact information on the state of health (SoH) of the battery and its remaining capacity."
The solution therefore provides market participants with the "long-missed" security through its reliable examination of the most important drive component. However, the Flash Test is only the first step in battery diagnostics. If this test reveals that the State of Health (SoH) is particularly low or even that there are battery defects, the causes of the anomalies will be further investigated in the more comprehensive Aviloo Premium Test using the same test box. The report suggests how this advanced test run appears in battery electric (BEV) and hybrid (PHEV) vehicles:
"While the Flash Test is conducted on the stationary vehicle, the Premium Test takes place during a battery discharge from 100 percent to below 10 percent on the moving BEV and PHEV."
With the deeper analysis, it is said, workshops can then more easily pinpoint errors, and the repair effort remains manageable.
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