EV battery passports go live: what UK drivers buying used electric car parts need to know

A paper trail for every EV battery: The 2026 passport is coming

Come April 2026, a new rule kicks in. Every lithium-ion traction battery sold or recycled here in the UK must have its own digital battery passport. Think of it as a car's logbook, but for the battery itself. It's a secure digital record detailing the cells' origin, the battery's service history, its current state of health, and a list of every single technician or Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) that has handled it. For the growing market in second-hand EV components, this is the most significant step forward in quality control since the VRA's certification scheme.

The new system also answers a question that has given independent garages sleepless nights. Is that used motor, inverter, or battery module from a breaker actually safe to fit to a customer's car?

Why so many used EV parts are available

There's a simple reason for the flood of good-quality EV salvage. Insurers are still nervous. In 2026, premiums are running about 50% higher for an EV than for its petrol equivalent, and a minor knock to the battery casing can write off an entire car. You only have to walk around a yard in somewhere like Skelmersdale to see the result. Rows of low-mileage Teslas, ID.3s, and shiny Ioniq 5s, many with less than 30,000 miles on the clock, are being stripped for parts. Their motors, sensors, touchscreens, suspension bits and, yes, even their individual battery modules are finding new homes.

We've seen this demand first-hand. Our own specialist EV network has grown from just 18 yards back in 2023 to over 90 ATFs in 2026. Every one of them is now fully licensed to work on high-voltage systems, a requirement of the updated Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations.

Checking a battery's history

From 2026, when you ask for a quote on a used EV battery, module, or complete pack through our system, you will get more than just a price. The quote will include a passport reference number. You can use this to check the component's full story:

• Original cell manufacturer, chemistry and capacity (kWh)
• Date of first installation and total miles served
• State of Health (SoH) percentage, independently measured
• Number of rapid-charge cycles
• Any thermal events or recall history
• The licensed ATF that recovered and tested the unit

Take a reclaimed 64 kWh battery for a 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric as an example. In 2026, you can expect to pay between £3,800 and £5,200. This is a significant saving compared to the £14,000 plus for a new one from a franchised dealer. That used battery will arrive at your workshop with its passport confirming a State of Health (SoH) of 88 to 94 percent, and it will be covered by a 12-month warranty.

Key prices for used EV parts in 2026

It’s not just batteries. Here are some typical prices you can expect for other major reclaimed EV components:

• Drive units (motor + inverter): £900, £2,200 reclaimed vs £6,000+ new
• Onboard chargers (OBC): £350, £700 vs £1,800+ new
• DC-DC converters: £180, £420 vs £950 new
• Battery modules (per kWh): £55, £90 reclaimed
• Infotainment / MCU units: £400, £1,100 reclaimed

The environmental case for reuse

There are also compelling environmental reasons for fitting used parts. Figures from the Faraday Institution show that reusing an EV traction motor saves about 180 kg of CO₂ compared to making one from scratch. For a battery module, the saving is around 70 kg of CO₂ for every kWh of capacity. The new 2026 regulations go further. They mandate that the UK must recover 80% of all lithium from old EV batteries by 2030, a goal we can only hit if we prioritise reuse over immediate recycling.

Getting a quote for an EV part

If you need a quote, just enter the car's registration number into our search bar. Make sure you select "EV / hybrid" from the part description, and the request will go out to our network. You should get prices back from our specialist yards within a few hours, complete with all the relevant passport data. Every high-voltage part we supply comes with the required fitting instructions and is backed by at least a 30-day warranty.

For too long, buying second-hand EV components felt like a gamble. In 2026, thanks to these changes, it's just good business.