Used electric cars for sale

How do I choose the ideal used electric car?

Choosing an electric car is much the same as choosing the petrol, diesel, or hybrid you might have bought in the past, but there are a few extra things to consider when you’re shopping. For example, you should still think about what you need from the car in terms of size and performance - you can now find electric models in just about every class, which makes finding a suitable model easier than it used to be - and how much you can afford to pay, just as you would with any other car.

But you also need to consider how you might charge your new EV. This is currently easiest for buyers who have a garage or driveway, with ready access to a source of power. It’s not as simple as just plugging an EV into a three-pin socket though as big batteries ideally need dedicated charging equipment, both for safety and speed - try and recharge a Tesla via a three-pin plug and you could be waiting days. Several companies offer services to set up reliable and safe home charging points. 

Battery size itself is another factor. The models currently on the market offer anything between around 100 and 400 miles of range. The former might be plenty for someone who only ever drives short distances, while you may only get the latter from larger, more prestigious and more expensive EVs. You’ll want to find a suitable balance between enough range to cover your needs, while still being affordable to buy - try not to overestimate how much range you need and end up paying over the odds for a huge battery you’ll never fully use. Going for a model with a heat pump will help to save energy on heating the car an improve range.

Where can I find used electric cars for sale?

Electric cars are now popular enough that you can find used examples in all the same places you’ll find petrol, diesel, and hybrid vehicles. There’s now a wide selection available from dealer stock, and older models may be offered for private sale.

Tools like RAC Simple Search can let you narrow down different makes and models, set an area to search within, and set limits on age, mileage, and by colour, just as you can with other cars. If you’re unsure which models are electric to start with, most online car search tools will also let you select by fuel type, and then you can search among all electric models that fit your other criteria.

Basic used electric car checks

Perhaps the most important used electric car check is one that’s tricky to discover on a test drive or via an online classified ad, which is the health of the car’s battery pack. Batteries lose their ability to hold a charge over time, so after tens of thousands of miles, an EV may not go quite as far on a charge as it could when new.

If you’re buying nearly new, this shouldn’t be an issue, particularly if the car is still under warranty - most manufacturers are well on top of this phenomenon so build in ways to mitigate it, such as not allowing the battery pack to fully charge or discharge, or by restricting charging speeds to prevent damage.

It may start to become apparent in older electric cars though, and since these will likely be out of warranty, you need to understand the limitations an older EV might impose. The usable 150 or so miles of range quoted in the brochure starts to look less appealing when the battery has lost 10-15% of its capacity, and the range drops further in cold weather. Try to find a buying guide on the model you’re considering to see whether this may be an issue.

The good news is that with far fewer mechanical moving parts than a combustion vehicle, servicing is much simpler, and the risk of a previous hamfisted owner doing damage to the motor or batteries is much lower than with an engine and gearbox. EVs tend to be easier on brakes too, so braking components may be less worn, but you still need evidence of servicing to ensure the car is in tip-top condition.

Nissan