He bought a plug-in hybrid Volkswagen Passat with 349,575 km on it to test the condition of its 7.9 kWh battery and was surprised.
Purchasing a used plug-in hybrid with nearly 350,000 kilometers on it comes with certain uncertainties. Aaron Hoekstra was looking for a family car that was spacious and efficient, and he ended up finding a 2016 Volkswagen Passat Variant GTE that met those criteria. He had also considered some Volvos, but ultimately chose the German model.
The high mileage made its selling price particularly attractive, although AutoWeek does not specify how much he paid in the end. There was also a much more significant uncertainty. Aaron did not check the battery’s condition before buying it because he trusted the car and had a complete maintenance record that showed nothing concerning. Now, the Passat has exactly 349,575 kilometers on it, and it’s time to see how well its battery has aged.
Almost 350,000 km and it can still travel 30 km on electric power
This Passat GTE belongs to a generation very different from today’s plug-in hybrids. Its system combines a 1.4 TSI gasoline engine with the electric component to produce a combined output of 218 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. Its battery offers 10 kWh in gross capacity, although it originally had 7.9 kWh of usable net capacity. For reference, when it was new, its price in Spain was around 50,000 euros.
Aaron admits he expected more from his current electric range. Under ideal conditions, it can travel about 30 km without using gasoline, but temperature has a significant impact. When it’s cold and he needs to use the heating, the range drops noticeably. That’s why he mainly relies on electricity for short trips, such as going to the supermarket or moving around locally, while using GTE mode for longer distances.
The car also underwent a previous inspection campaign that affected Volkswagen Golf and Passat models from this era. There was an issue with the battery housing’s seal that could cause leaks, so the component was replaced in this unit. Beyond this repair, Aaron notes that the maintenance history showed no problems that would deter him from making the purchase.
The battery retains exactly 76% of its capacity
The test conducted by Aviloo finally resolved the major mystery. From the originally available 7.9 kWh of net energy, there are now 5.99 kWh left. This means that after nearly 10 years and exactly 349,575 km, the battery retains a state of health (SoH) of 76%. It has thus lost approximately one quarter of its original capacity.
Marcel van Renselaar from Aviloo believes that “given the mileage and age, it’s really not a bad score.” The result also doesn’t surprise Aaron too much. Based on the electric range he could still get from the car, he expected a similar percentage, and the diagnosis reassures him enough to stick to his plans. He wants to drive this Passat another 100,000 km, bringing the German family car’s total mileage to around 450,000 km.
The expert also offers an interesting insight into how to use a PHEV with a relatively small battery. He advises against treating it like a pure electric vehicle by fully charging it every day to deplete it completely and repeatedly going through full charge cycles. According to Van Renselaar, such usage can harm the longevity of these smaller battery packs. In Aaron’s case, he believes Aaron’s way of using it is appropriate.
76% battery remaining and 100,000 km as the goal
The result is particularly interesting because this Passat belongs to one of the first generations of plug-in hybrids that achieved significant sales volumes in Europe. Compared to today’s PHEVs, which can cover over 100 kilometers on electric power alone, its original 7.9 kWh of usable capacity now seems very limited. However, this vehicle still retains 5.99 kWh after traveling a huge distance.
That doesn’t mean every Passat GTE with 300,000 kilometers on the odometer will be in similar condition. Degradation depends on usage history, temperatures, frequency and depth of charging, and many other factors. That’s precisely why checking the battery’s health is especially important before buying a used plug-in hybrid. Aaron decided to take that risk by relying on the vehicle’s maintenance record.
In this case, it’s turned out reasonably well. He bought the Passat when it had already accumulated around 300,000 km without knowing about the degradation of its battery. It now has 349,575 km on it, and the analysis shows it still retains 76% of its capacity. And the owner doesn’t seem to be thinking about retiring it just yet. If he follows through with his intention to drive another 100,000 km, this Volkswagen Passat GTE will end up approaching half a million kilometers.