Your EV’s future trade-in value may depend on this one battery metric
Odometers have deeper roots in the auto industry than many drivers appreciate. In addition to tracking how far a vehicle has traveled, they have also been the guide post for current value and future life expectancy.
For electric cars, the battery is more important than its odometer. With up to a third of the cost all in that one component, your car is, in some ways, worth as much as its battery, and odometer is no longer a leading indicator of battery health.
A new EV battery metric and valuation tool from Recurrent is changing the way used cars are bought and sold.
Range Score: a simple metric for used EV values
Recurrent’s new Range Score is a simple metric (from 0 – 100+) to compare any vehicle’s current range to what was expected when new for that make, model, and battery configuration. For example, a 94 means that an individual car has a current max range that is 94% of its original range, which often varies from its EPA rating.
EPA range is rarely accurate because it doesn’t account for changes over time or adjustments by the carmakers themselves. Instead, original range is the expected range as observed by Recurrent when new, after well over 100 million recorded miles across EV makes, models and years.
While simple on the surface, millions of real-world data points go into each Range Score. Recurrent provides free battery monitoring for over 10,000 EV owners in the US. Each vehicle battery is checked several times per day through onboard telematics with the permission of the driver. It’s designed to be all over-the-air without clunky devices that infringe on leg room or privacy. Streaming battery insights over the weeks and months allows Recurrent to draw conclusions about an individual vehicle’s current range, how that range will fluctuate in different conditions, and how it compares to hundreds or thousands of similar vehicles.
The sophistication of these data models means that Recurrent often does not need to study an individual car for months to generate a range estimate or score for many of the electric cars that frequent the used market today. After entering several vehicle-specific data points, EV owners in the US can check their Range Score in 2 minutes for a Chevrolet Bolt, Chevrolet Volt, Nissan LEAF, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model S, Tesla Model X and Tesla Model Y.
Good batteries lead to higher sale prices
If an EV is as good as its battery, then good batteries deserve higher resale values, and that is proving to be true. A leading US wholesaler found that EVs with Range Scores from Recurrent are “seeing $4,000 to $7,000 increases” in sale price due to battery transparency.
This creates an opportunity for EV owners to increase the trade-in value of their car based on its battery. After using Recurrent’s free tool to check their EV’s vehicle valuation, Range Score and recommended battery premium, owners who are thinking about selling soon – say their pre-order for the latest and greatest EV is finally ready for delivery – can shop offers through Recurrent or use their battery-specific valuation to get a better price elsewhere. Whether selling to a dealership or private-party buyer, this metric may prove to be far more important than its odometer.
For owners who are not ready to sell anytime soon, they can start tracking their battery’s performance with the free EV Owner Insights, so when ready, they will have a valuable third-party verification of the battery’s history and condition.
A reminder to all of our Canadian and EU/UK readers: Recurrent is only available for EV owners and sellers in the US, but they’ve promised us they’re working on it.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Tesla has officially launched a new version of the Cybertruck RWD for $70,000 in the US and Mexico.
It’s more expensive than previously announced and loses a ton of features, but it has more range.
Earlier today, we reported on Tesla unveiling in the Middle East a new ‘Cybertruck Long Range’.
The automaker confirmed that it had a single rear-wheel-drive (RWD) motor, but unlike the previously announced Cybertruck RWD, Tesla said it had 350 rather than 250 miles of range.
This would point to having the same battery pack as the Dual Motor and Cyberbeast currently available.
At the time, it wasn’t clear if Tesla was launching this specific version for the Middle East or if it was the new Cybertruck RWD to replace the previously announced $62,000 version.
Now, Tesla has opened orders in the online configurator for the US and Mexico of the new Cybertruck Long Range RWD:
It starts at $70,000 before incentive – $9,000 more than the previously announced Cybertruck, but it has 100 more miles on a single charge at 350 miles.
It’s also $10,000 less expensive than the Cybertruck Dual Motor.
You not only lose a motor, but you also lose the powered tonneau. You can buy a “soft tonneau” for $750 and it increases the range to 362 miles:
The new cheaper version also loses the adaptive suspension, the lightbar at the back, the rear screen, and even the bed outlets, according to Tesla’s website.
Tesla says that deliveries are going to start in June.
Electrek’s Take
I might be wrong, but I would assume that the previously announced $61,000 Cybertruck is not going to happen. The Cybertruck is likely proving to be too low-volume to warrant producing different sizes of battery packs.
However, this version might be just to make the $80,000 Cybertruck look better.
It’s not to lose the AWD, the tonneau, the adaptive suspension, and even the bed outlets for $10,000.
These are all pretty essential features of the Cybertruck. I don’t think this version will sell much at $70,000. Maybe they get a few sales of people trying to take advantage of the $7,500 tax credit.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
![This electric excavator has battery swap tech that lets it recharge in minutes [update]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/electric-excavator.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The electric construction equipment experts at XCMG just released a new, 25 ton electric crawler excavator ahead of bauma 2025 – and they have their eye on the global urban construction, mine operations, and logistical material handling markets.
UPDATE: telematics announcement.
Powered by a high-capacity 400 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery capable of delivering up to 8 hours of continuous operation, the XE215EV electric excavator promises uninterrupted operation at a lower cost of ownership and with even less downtime than its diesel counterparts.
XCMG is delivering on part of that reduced downtime promise with the lower maintenance and easier repair needs of electric equipment, and delivering on the rest of it with lickety-quick DC fast charging that can recharge the machine’s massive battery in 1.5-2 hours … but that’s not the slick bit. The XCMG XE125EV can be powered up without leaving the job site thanks to its BYD battery swap technology.
We first covered XCMG and its battery swap technology back in January, and covered similar battery-swap tech being developed by MOOG Construction offshoot ZQUIP, as well – but while XCMG’s battery tech has been in production for several years, it’s still not widely known about in the West (even within the industry).
XCMG showed off its latest electric equipment at the December 2024 bauma China, including an updated version of its of its 85-ton autonomous electric mining truck that features a fully cab-less design – meaning there isn’t even a place for an operator to sit, let alone operate. And that’s too bad, because what operator wouldn’t want to experience an electric truck putting down 1070 hp more than 16,000 lb-ft of torque!?
Easy in, easy out
The best part? All of the company’s heavy equipment assets – from excavators to terminal tractors to dump trucks and wheel loaders – all use the same 400 kWh BYD battery packs, Milwaukee tool style. That means an equipment fleet can utilize x number of vehicles with a fraction of the total battery capacity and material needs of other asset brands. That’s not just a smart use of limited materials, it’s a smarter use of energy.
You can check out all the XE215EV’s specs at this tear sheet, and get an in-person look at the Chinese company’s latest electric excavator this week in Munich, Germany.
Telematics announcement at bauma
Earlier today, XCMG launched its next-generation Xrea Global Telematics Platform, integrating IoT, big data, cloud computing, and AI to enable what it’s caling, “seamless cross-border fleet management.”
The new telematics platform supports a dozen languages via PC and mobile interfaces, and offers real-time diagnostics, predictive maintenance, and data-driven optimization of both the vehicle and the vehicle’s batteries, empowering equipment managers and fleet operators to track fleets across town, or across time zones.
“XCMG remains committed to advancing engineering technology to empower a sustainable future. Our mission is to deliver efficient, intelligent, and eco-friendly lifecycle solutions for global clients,” said Mr. Yang Dongsheng, Chairman of XCMG Group and XCMG Machinery. “Today, 19% of our product portfolio comprises green innovations under our ‘Green Mountain’ new energy line, with full electrification across all series underway.”
SOURCE | IMAGES: XCMG; via PR Newswire.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway