For years, Germany has been the main source of used cars imported into Poland. Meanwhile, more than 2 million electric cars are already on German roads, and the first larger cohorts of BEVs are reaching the age typical of the used-car market and approaching the end of their warranty coverage. This could give Poland access to attractively priced electric cars — but it could also pass on risks to buyers that cannot be assessed with a paint thickness gauge.
For years, Poland has bought a huge share of its mobility second-hand. Cars change owners, cross the border and begin another chapter of their working lives here. This mechanism is well established, and the trade route from Germany to Poland is developed, fast and effective.
But now the most important component of the vehicle is changing.
When buying a combustion-engine car, buyers focused on the engine, gearbox, service history, corrosion and signs of repairs. In an electric car, the traction battery joins that list: the most expensive and complex component, with an enormous impact on the vehicle’s everyday usability.
That is why the question is no longer: will used electric cars come to Poland from Germany?
The question is: will we establish a reliable way to assess them before imports reach a larger scale?
THREE FIGURES THAT SHOW WHERE THE MARKET IS HEADING
52,3% — Germany’s share of Polish imports of used passenger cars and light commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes after the first eight months of 2026.
2 034 260 — the number of BEVs registered in Germany on 1 January 2026.
over 18% year on year — growth in imports of used electric cars into Poland in 2025.
According to IBRM SAMAR data based on the CEPiK database, Poland imported 315 188 used vehicles from Germany between January and August 2026. This means Germany accounted for 52.3% of total imports of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes.
These figures cover all types of powertrain, not just electric cars. That is precisely why they matter. They show that the infrastructure for a future influx of EVs already exists: importers, auctions, sales lots, transport, financing, networks of contacts and customers accustomed to looking for cars across Poland’s western border.
There is no need to create a new channel. All it takes is a change in the mix of cars flowing through it.
In 2025, Poland received just under 6,500 used electric cars from all source countries combined. Compared with diesels, this was still a small number, but it represented growth of more than 18% year on year. The market is therefore only at the beginning of its journey, but its direction is already clear.
At the beginning of 2026, Germany’s Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt recorded 2 034 260 registered all-electric cars. That was 23.2% more than a year earlier, and BEVs accounted for 4.1% of the entire passenger-car fleet.
Even more important than the size of the fleet is its age profile. In 2019, Germany registered 63 281 new BEVs. In 2020, the figure had already risen to 194 163, and in 2021 to 355 961. In total, over those three years, the German market received more than 613,000 new electric cars.
Today, these vehicles are between five and seven years old. Some have already moved on from their first owner. Others are returning to the market as financing agreements end, fleets are renewed, or simply because German drivers choose newer models with longer ranges and faster charging.
This does not mean that all these cars will come to Poland. It does mean, however, that the stock of used EVs is growing rapidly on the other side of our border, and Poland has long been a natural destination for second-hand German cars.
“Poland does not have to become the final destination for someone else’s uncertainty. We can establish our own standard for assessing used electric cars before imports reach a mass scale.”
— Gabriel Markut, Co-founder and President of the Management Board of Voltified Energy
A timeline the market should not ignore
In many electric cars, traction-battery warranty coverage is limited by both time and mileage. The terms depend on the manufacturer, model, market of first sale and documentation for the individual vehicle. Tesla provides a useful example: for different versions, it specifies eight years and mileage limits ranging from 160,000 to 240,000 km, with a minimum capacity retention of 70%.
For an eight-year warranty, the timeline is as follows:
a car first registered in 2018 reaches the eight-year mark in 2026;
a 2019 vehicle does so in 2027;
a 2020 vehicle does so in 2028;
a 2021 vehicle does so in 2029.
Some vehicles will lose coverage sooner because they reach the mileage limit first. Others will still have some warranty remaining, but its actual scope may depend on service history, country of origin, compliance with the manufacturer’s conditions or previous repairs.
This is where a new chapter of the used-car market begins.
A warranty expiring is a legal and economic milestone, not a technical verdict. A battery does not stop working the day after its coverage ends. Many packs retain very good performance even after many years and high mileages.
What changes, however, is who bears the risk. Before the warranty ends, certain specified faults or excessive capacity loss may be covered by the manufacturer’s procedures. Once it expires, a greater share of the financial consequences falls to the owner.
It is also worth remembering that the warranty minimum — for example, 70% capacity — is not an assessment of the car’s market value. Two cars of the same model and year, with similar mileages, may both formally meet the manufacturer’s conditions while offering different usable capacities, ranges, cell balance or charging behaviour.
That is why the phrase “battery under warranty” should not replace an answer to the question: what condition is the battery in today?
The mileage shown on the odometer does not tell the whole story of a battery’s life. Its condition may be affected by factors including operating temperature, charging habits, long periods parked at very high or low states of charge, intensity of use, previous repairs, road incidents and the operation of the thermal-management system.
Not all this information can be retrieved from every model. The data available depend on the vehicle’s design, software and the manufacturer’s interfaces. That is precisely why an honest diagnostic report should state not only the result, but also the testing method, measurement conditions and limitations on interpretation.
The range displayed on the screen is not enough on its own. Predicted range also depends on driving style, temperature, climate-control settings, recent energy consumption and software. It is not the same as an independent assessment of battery health.
Over the years, the market has developed a set of standard questions: has the car been in an accident, what is its mileage, has it been serviced regularly, how thick is the paint, and does the VIN confirm the claimed history?
For a used EV, this process needs to be expanded. The greatest technical and financial unknown may be beneath the vehicle’s floor — and it cannot be assessed during a short test drive.
In one market-monitoring exercise conducted by Voltified Energy, we analysed 100 public advertisements for used electric cars. Not one included an independent certificate describing the condition of the traction battery.
This does not mean the cars on offer were faulty. It shows something else: the market still expects buyers to make a decision without one of the most important pieces of information about the vehicle.
What should be checked before buying a used EV?
The scope of testing must always be tailored to the specific model, but a thorough assessment should cover as broad a range of information as possible:
identification of the vehicle, battery version and date of first registration;
confirmation of the remaining warranty period and mileage allowance, and the conditions governing its validity;
reading the available data from the battery-management system and vehicle control units;
assessment of battery health, including SoH or usable capacity, where these can be reliably determined for the model concerned;
analysis of faults relating to the high-voltage system, charging and thermal management;
assessment of voltage differences or the balance of modules and cells, where data are available;
checking AC and DC charging operation to the extent warranted by the testing method;
inspection of the battery casing and underbody for mechanical damage, signs of intervention or leaks;
verification of service history, repairs, recalls and software updates;
a clear description of the method, when the test was performed and the limitations of the result.
The aim is not to create an illusion of absolute certainty. No test can guarantee that a fault will never occur in the future. The goal is to reduce information asymmetry and replace guesswork with evidence that supports an informed decision.
“Good diagnostics are not about proving that every battery is perfect. They are about precisely separating what we know from what cannot be confirmed — and making that knowledge valuable to the buyer.”
— Tomasz Piwowarski, MSc Eng., Co-founder and CTO of Voltified Energy
The used-electric-car market will develop faster if both parties to a transaction stop negotiating solely on the basis of their fears.
For buyers, a documented test result means a better understanding of risk. For honest sellers, it can be a way to distinguish a good vehicle and justify its price. For a used-car dealer or importer, it can help standardise the offering. For an insurer, leasing company or finance provider, it can be an additional source of information when assessing residual value and risk.
A certificate should not be a marketing sticker. It must identify the specific vehicle, the date and scope of testing, the method, the results obtained and the limitations. Only then does it become a document that builds trust, rather than another slogan in an advertisement.
The European battery passport will help, but it will not solve the problem of older cars
From 18 February 2027, EU Regulation 2023/1542 introduces a requirement for an electronic passport for, among other categories, electric-vehicle batteries within the scope of the new rules. This is an important step towards traceability, transparency and battery management throughout the life cycle.
However, this does not mean that every older car imported from Germany will automatically receive a complete, standardised and verifiable history of its previous use. The vehicles already on the road, which will feed the used-car market in the coming years, still need practical diagnostic methods available here and now.
The battery passport is part of the future data infrastructure. Diagnostics for an individual car, meanwhile, provide an answer for a decision being made today.
The greatest threat to the market is not widespread failure of every used battery. That would be just as misleading an oversimplification as assuming that every battery pack retains its factory-new performance after several years.
The real problem is the inability to distinguish between them.
Without data, a good car may be undervalued because of a general fear of the technology. A higher-risk vehicle, meanwhile, may sell for too much because it looks identical from the outside. In both cases, the market loses: the customer, the honest seller, the finance provider and the development of electric mobility.
Diagnostics make it possible to move from asking “should I be afraid of a used electric car?” to asking “what do we know about this particular vehicle?”. This seemingly small change could determine the maturity of the entire segment.
The growing supply of used EVs from Western Europe could be either a problem or an opportunity for Poland.
In the first scenario, we accept cars without a common standard for describing their batteries, and prices are shaped mainly by emotions, sellers’ claims and vehicle brands. In the second, we build diagnostic, certification, servicing and analytical capabilities that make a used electric car a product people can buy, finance and insure on an informed basis.
The second scenario means more than greater protection for customers. It also means jobs, specialist expertise, technological development, new automotive services and an opportunity to shape market standards before they are imposed on us by more mature ecosystems.
As a young Polish technology team, we do not want to wait until the problem becomes widespread. Voltified Energy is developing solutions for traction-battery diagnostics, documenting battery health and building a more transparent used-electric-car market.
Because the transition to electric mobility does not end in the new-car showroom. Its real test begins when a car passes to its second and third owners.
Importing the car of the future is not enough. We must also know how to assess its past fairly.
Buyers should insist on battery data as consistently as they expect a VIN and damage history. Sellers can gain an advantage by providing independent documentation of the vehicle’s condition. Importers and used-car dealers should incorporate battery diagnostics into their vehicle intake process, while financial institutions and insurers should factor the results into their assessments of risk and residual value.
The used-EV market is still taking shape. This is the best time to establish its rules.
Do you buy, sell, import, finance or insure electric cars? Talk to the Voltified Energy team about battery diagnostics and a standard for documenting battery health.
Yes, such a car can be an attractive choice in terms of price, equipment and service history. However, its country of origin is no substitute for assessing the individual vehicle. Before buying, you should verify the documents, damage history, warranty terms, charging system and traction-battery health.
No. A warranty expiring primarily means a change in the scope of protection and a greater share of financial risk shifting to the owner. The battery’s actual condition should be assessed using data and an examination of the specific vehicle.
Not always. SoH is an important parameter, but the way it is determined may differ between brands, models and tools. It should be analysed alongside high-voltage-system faults, available module data, charging performance, the thermal system, vehicle history and the test method used.
This depends on the manufacturer, market of first sale, purchase date, mileage and compliance with the conditions stated in the documentation. You should not automatically assume that a car imported from abroad retains its full coverage. Warranty status must be confirmed for the specific VIN.
Above all, identification of the car, the date and scope of testing, the method used, the results that can be obtained for the model concerned and clear limitations. The certificate should describe the condition at the time of testing, rather than make promises about the future that cannot be guaranteed.
IBRM SAMAR, “Used-car imports — August 2026”: data on the volume of imports from Germany and their 52.3% share — https://www.samar.pl/rynek-w-liczbach/import-samochodow-uzywanych-2026-2026
IBRM SAMAR, “Used-car imports — December 2025”: data on used-BEV imports, growth of more than 18% year on year and the breakdown by country of origin — https://www.samar.pl/rynek-w-liczbach/import-samochodow-uzywanych-2025-2026
Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, data on Germany’s BEV fleet as at 1 January 2026 — https://www.kba.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/Allgemein/2026/pm08_2026_elektro_pkw.html
Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, annual BEV registration data for 2019–2021 — https://www.kba.de/DE/Statistik/Fahrzeuge/Umwelt/umwelt_node.html
Tesla Poland, current general terms of the battery and drive-unit warranty — https://www.tesla.com/pl_pl/support/vehicle-warranty
Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Article 77 — battery passport from 18 February 2027 — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/PL/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32023R1542
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