Electric and hybrid vehicles are now a permanent part of many fleets – and they place different demands on workshop diagnostics than classic combustion engines: instead of just engine control units and emission values, high-voltage battery systems, the battery management system (BMS) and modern, Ethernet-based electrical architectures are the focus. As more EVs hit the road, a diagnostic tool that can reliably read both classic fault codes and battery status and high-voltage signals becomes ever more important.
This guide compares three current diagnostic tools for electric and hybrid vehicles – Vident iSmart920 EV, Autel MaxiSys MS906 Pro2-TS and Autel MaxiSys Ultra S2 – based on the criteria that make the practical difference for independent workshops in EV/hybrid diagnostics: EV-specific battery diagnostics, support for modern DoIP/CAN FD vehicle architectures, and oscilloscope measurement technology for high-voltage signals.
Which diagnostic functions are important for electric and hybrid vehicles?
For electric and hybrid vehicles, reading state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH), reliable battery pack detection, and initialization of the battery management system (BMS) are especially crucial. The Vident iSmart920 EV offers battery pack detection for most electric vehicles on the market, reads SOC and SOH, shows the module position and provides maintenance recommendations for the battery pack. The Autel MaxiSys MS906 Pro2-TS brings the battery management initialization (BMS) service function for that purpose, which is also needed in daily workshop work on hybrid and electric vehicles. Which functions are available in each case always depends on the vehicle manufacturer, model and installed control unit.
Do all diagnostic tools for electric vehicles support DoIP and CAN FD?
No: according to the product data, DoIP and CAN FD are supported by the Autel MaxiSys MS906 Pro2-TS and the Autel MaxiSys Ultra S2, but these two protocols are not listed for the Vident iSmart920 EV. DoIP (Diagnostics over Internet Protocol) and CAN FD (CAN with Flexible Data-Rate) are the transmission standards on which modern, Ethernet-based vehicle architectures – including many current electric and hybrid vehicles – are built; without support for them, newer generations of control units cannot be fully accessed. The Autel MaxiSys Ultra S2 additionally supports Mega-CAN as well as the programming standards J2534, D-PDU and RP1210 for online programming of control units.
What does an oscilloscope offer for diagnosing high-voltage signals?
An oscilloscope makes electrical signal patterns visible that pure fault code diagnostics cannot capture – for example on sensors, actuators and high-voltage components in the drivetrain of electric and hybrid vehicles. The Autel MaxiSys Ultra S2 brings the VCMI2, a 6-in-1 interface that combines a diagnostic interface with a 4-channel oscilloscope with 20 MHz bandwidth, 80 MS/s sampling rate and 32 MB buffer memory, a multimeter, a waveform generator and CAN bus testing – making a separate oscilloscope unnecessary. According to the product data, the Vident iSmart920 EV and the Autel MaxiSys MS906 Pro2-TS do not have a comparable, integrated oscilloscope function.
Which diagnostic tool for electric vehicles is best?
The best diagnostic tool for electric vehicles depends on the workshop's area of use and budget: for entering EV/hybrid diagnostics in combination with classic petrol and diesel diagnostics, the Vident iSmart920 EV is suitable; for modern vehicle architectures with DoIP and CAN FD, the Autel MaxiSys MS906 Pro2-TS is recommended; and for professional diagnostics on high-voltage systems with a built-in oscilloscope, the Autel MaxiSys Ultra S2 is the right choice.
- Entry-level workshop with EV/hybrid and classic diagnostics: The Vident iSmart920 EV combines battery pack diagnostics (SOC/SOH) for electric and hybrid vehicles with complete petrol and diesel diagnostics, key programming and 3 years of free updates.
- Workshop with modern vehicle architectures: The Autel MaxiSys MS906 Pro2-TS is particularly suitable for current vehicle models with complex electronics thanks to DoIP and CAN FD support as well as BMS initialization.
- Professional workshop with high-voltage measurement technology: The Autel MaxiSys Ultra S2 is worthwhile for businesses that want to measure directly on high-voltage signals with the integrated 4-channel oscilloscope, multimeter and waveform generator, without a separate measuring device.
Diagnostic tools for electric vehicles compared
| Area of use / budget | Recommendation | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Entry into EV/hybrid combined with petrol & diesel diagnostics | Vident iSmart920 EV | €1399.00 |
| Modern vehicle architectures with DoIP & CAN FD | Autel MaxiSys MS906 Pro2-TS | €2699.00 |
| Professional diagnostics on high-voltage systems with oscilloscope | Autel MaxiSys Ultra S2 (EU version) | €7849.00 |
The three diagnostic tools for electric vehicles in detail
Vident iSmart920 EV Diagnostic Tool for Independent Workshops – Electric & Hybrid
The Vident iSmart920 EV reads SOC (state of charge) and SOH (state of health) of electric and hybrid vehicles and additionally covers the complete diagnostics of petrol and diesel vehicles including key programming – the ideal entry point for workshops preparing for the growing number of EVs. 
Autel MaxiSys MS906 Pro2-TS Diagnostic Tool with DoIP & CAN FD for Workshops
The Autel MaxiSys MS906 Pro2-TS supports the modern transmission standards DoIP and CAN FD and offers the battery management initialization (BMS) as an important service function for hybrid and electric vehicles. 
Autel MaxiSys Ultra S2 EU Version Diagnostic Tool with 4-Channel Oscilloscope
The Autel MaxiSys Ultra S2 combines a 4-channel oscilloscope, multimeter and waveform generator in one device with the VCMI2 interface – the right choice for professional diagnostics on high-voltage signals without a separate measuring device. 
Whether it's getting started with EV/hybrid diagnostics, modern vehicle architectures with DoIP and CAN FD, or professional measurement technology on high-voltage systems: with the Vident iSmart920 EV, the Autel MaxiSys MS906 Pro2-TS and the Autel MaxiSys Ultra S2, workshops will find the right diagnostic tool for the growing number of electric and hybrid vehicles. If you have questions about choosing the right model for your fleet, our team will be happy to advise you personally at 0711-3654 4645. Buy now, pay later is available via Klarna or PayPal.