If you’re thinking about switching to an electric car, there’s never been a better time to buy the most productive used electric vehicle.
With declining demand for new battery-powered models and uncertainty about future legislation and technology, the price of used electric vehicles has plummeted. And while that’s bad news for first-time homeowners, it’s wonderful news for those who get a smart deal.
Best of all, although many buyers are wary of the potential dangers of EV technology, overall, those machines are undeniable and therefore reliable and affordable to use. After all, an electric motor has only a handful of moving parts, compared to thousands in an internal combustion engine.
And while replacing batteries can be expensive, the rest of the car will most likely expire before the lithium-ion cells are replaced.
In fact, with charging and care, many batteries will last thousands of miles.
Then there are the savings in running costs, especially if you can charge at home. And with the public charging network ever-expanding, concern for diversity will soon be a thing of the past.
Here are our 10 favorite used electric cars that will do their part for the planet and for your bank account.
Few cars have been hit as hard by the falling costs of used electric vehicles as the Taycan, and there are examples of Porsche that wasted more than a portion of its cost in three years.
Still, despite the sharp depreciation, the stylish German sedan is still as remarkable as ever, especially with costs starting at around £40,000.
No battery-powered styling is as fun to drive, with precise, engaging handling and a blistering pace, even in a modest 4S version, comprising “only” 563bhp.
When it was new, it had a claimed distance of 288 miles, and in the real world, a simple distance of 250 miles can be expected, while a speed of 80 percent using a 350 kW evaluator takes less than half an hour. Some owners have reported electrical issues and occasional battery failure, but the eight-year/100,000-mile warranty means you shouldn’t have to pay big expenses just yet.
Read our Porsche Taycan
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Porsche’s best vehicle in the world is now spent as a rival to the £70,000 rear-wheel-drive Tesla Model S and BMW i4. Should they be worried?
It wouldn’t be an electric car list without a Tesla somewhere in the mix. The recent arrival of a refreshed Model 3 has helped melt the values of the old car, even if in terms of looks and driving experience, there’s very little difference between the two.
That quiet and competent handling, a cushioned ride (apart from some rigidity at low speed) and enough functionality to satisfy adrenaline junkies to the fullest.
Tesla’s use of over-the-air software updates means that many electrical issues can be resolved temporarily; Squeaky trim and inconsistent panel spacing betray the brand’s build quality issues.
That said, the Model 3 is reliable, while the brand’s battery generation allows for a longer mobile life than most.
You can pay as little as £13,500 for a popular model, but we’d increase the extra £1,500 required for the long variety, as it gives you a stated diversity of 348 miles (a little over 300 miles actually). , have access to the company’s perfect Supercharger network.
Read our Tesla Model 3
When is a used car new? When it comes to a Fisker Ocean. The long-suffering American company had just entered the UK when funding problems forced it to suspend production.
As a result, Fisker slashed prices and buyers bought a lightly used example of the all-new Ocean with delivery mileage for around £25,000, which is about £10,000 less than what it would charge new.
To do this, you get a single 282 hp motor and a 73 kWh battery that allows you to go 288 miles between charges. Deft driving dynamics, striking appearance, and a spacious, well-appointed interior add to the ocean’s appeal.
Spend around £5,000 more and you can get a Hyper Range edition with a few thousand miles on the watch that will cover a realistic 400 miles for a fee.
There’s one main caveat, though: Fisker has said it may not offer full after-sales services.
Read our Fisker Ocean review
One of our favourite electric cars when new, the electric Jaguar is as attractive a selection as a used car.
It’s been around for a number of years, so the costs of this fast and agile feline have been reduced to £15,000.
For that expense, you get a powerful 395-hp dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup, along with a heavy 90kWh battery that will give you a disappointing usable diversity of around 250 miles (295 miles claimed). However, the merit goes to an impressive straight-line speed and dynamic typical of Jaguar that manage to combine invigorating handling with moderate refinement and sumptuous handling.
The I-Pace is also spacious and maintains the brand’s delightfully unique interior ambiance. The overall quality is high, but electronic issues have plagued the Jag since its release, so any potential purchase of caution lights will be expensive.
Read our information about the Jaguar I-Pace
Arguably ahead of its time, the cutting-edge BMW i3 is an electric vehicle that is as attractive to own as it is reasonable to use.
Backed by a strong, lightweight carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic architecture, and clad in a unique composite body, the i3 is oddly light for an electric car (it weighs less than 1,200kg).
Its 168hp rear motor delivers fast performance, while the handling of the slim tires has enough appeal for the BMW driver to keep it all fun. Then, the boldly styled and carefully designed interior, filled with sustainably sourced materials.
This pioneering technique in car design and engineering means that the i3 already has the characteristics of a trendy classic, while prices starting below £6,000 also make it an option.
The only problem is that the small 21. 5 kWh battery in early cars means a realistic range of only about 80 miles (BMW claimed 100 miles).
Read our BMW i3
As long as you don’t plan on making a lot of high-mileage trips with your electric vehicle, the quirky Mazda MX-30 makes a lot of sense.
Even when new, the compact crossover had a negligible 124 miles of diversity thanks to its 35. 5 kWh battery, which today translates to around a hundred miles of reliable diversity. Then there are the “suicidal” hinged tailgates, which are more of a gimmick than a practical aid, and the backseat area is marginal for adults.
Still, for short tasks or for second-car tasks, the Mazda’s incisive handling makes it one of the most attractive electric vehicles to drive. It is also well built and richly equipped.
What’s more, the misunderstood Mazda has suffered more from depreciation than smaller cars, such as the electric Mini, a three-year-old example that can be yours for just over £10,000.
Read our Mazda MX-30
If you’re looking for the cheapest electric car on the used market, the Leaf will be in the most sensible position on your shopping list.
The pioneer of the electric family car has been around for almost a decade and a half, so you can pay as little as £2,000 for an initial example. Of course, at this end of the market you may not get much diversity for your money and models equipped with a 24kWh battery offer a realistic range of 80 miles (well below the official 109 miles).
Still, think of the Nissan as a reasonable commuter car or a school gimmick and laugh all the way to the bank. Not only will “restocks” charge you less than with an ICE alternative, but the Leaf also proves to be a durable and physically powerful proposition in the long run, requiring only regime maintenance and replacement of normal consumables.
Read our Nissan Leaf
Living in the shadow of its sleeker and more prominent namesake (the Hyundai Ioniq 5), the Ioniq is a steal.
It’s not the most glamorous or exhilarating wheelset ever purchased, but as an affordable, budget-friendly, and hassle-free vehicle, you have to beat it.
The relatively modest staying power of the 38. 3 kWh battery is supported by proper aerodynamics that allow the Hyundai sedan to go 193 miles (around 165 miles per day is expected) on a charge, while the Premium edition is very well equipped.
Just £9,000 will secure the keys to a 2020 example with around 50,000 miles on the odometer and (essentially) the rest of the Korean company’s generous five-year unlimited mileage warranty.
Read our Hyundai Ioniq
With familiar automotive icons like the Beetle and Golf on its books, Volkswagen knew its first custom-built electric sedan had great needs to fill. And while the ID 3 probably isn’t as popular as its predecessors, it’s a solid and practical second-hand choice.
Designed from the start as an electric vehicle on the brand’s MEB (rear motor and underfloor battery) platform, the VW is spacious and fast, even in the basic 168 hp version.
It’s not as fun as its rear-wheel-drive setup might take you and some of the cabin ergonomics will have you needing to set the car on fire (the disabled touch temperature controls are the biggest faux pas), but a little more so. With £12,000 you’ll get a three-year-old model with the smallest 58kWh battery.
This is still enough for the claimed 265 miles (about 230 miles in actual use). The larger 77kWh battery offers a genuine 300-mile range between charges, but lately it costs a hefty £6,000 premium, meaning it doesn’t offer as much price for money.
Read our Volkswagen ID 3
Proof that the most productive things come in small packages: the little Fiat wraps fun driving dynamics and low operating prices in a stylish Latin envelope.
Designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle, the Fiat 500 Electric brings together all the old-fashioned visual charm of its ICE predecessor, while giving the impression of being a much more modern and high-end proposition.
It’s more productive for the 24kWh battery edition due to its limited range, so we’re proposing to spend a little more (prices start at just over £10,000) on the 42kWh model, which offers a simple 170 miles between electric injections.
No matter the battery life, you get traffic-avoiding agility and strangely adult comfort and refinement. It’s more productive in the urban jungle and it’s more productive to leave the back area for kids or contortionists, still few electric cars offer so much fun.
Read our review of the Fiat 500
James is a special correspondent for Autocar, and handles just about everything, as well as issuing first-drive verdicts, collecting evidence of organization, formulating features, and keeping Autocar. co. uk up to date with the latest news and reviews. He also co-hosts podcasts and occasional videos with Autocar’s esteemed editor-in-chief, Matt Prior.
For more than a decade and a half, James has been writing about automobiles, and in that time he’s driven virtually everything from humble hatchbacks to full-capacity machines. Having started his racing career in another weekly car magazine, he rose through the ranks. and spent many years running the title control office. This was followed by a stint on the same task for the monthly title, evo, before starting an independent career in 2019. The less said about his wild years, his post-college years promoting mobile phones and insurance, the better.
Now I passed and how much they charge for insuring. Over £1,000 a year. No thanks.
In reality, insuring a Nissan LEAF costs more than a thousand dollars a year. The things that other people write.
Me: 51, 15 years old and over ENT. Low-risk address, no convictions.
This is smart data because I’m about the same age and I’m looking to upgrade to an EV later this year. I got involved in the security aspect of things.
Can you locate a used Taycan for £40,000? The cheapest thing I saw on Auto Trader was $44. 5000 for one of the first ones.
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