It’s not a question of whether you’ll buy an electric car – it’s when. Almost all manufacturers of private vehicles are winding down their petrol and diesel operations in preparation for a battery-powered future, and the government’s plans to restrict the sale of fossil-fuelled cars will hasten that eventuality. In 20 years’ time, the sound of revving engines and rattly exhausts will probably be quite rare.
But for many Brits, the high cost of electric cars makes all of this a bit theoretical. As both a car reviewer and a tree-hugger, I spend a lot of time driving new EVs of all sizes, but the main complaint I hear from readers is that they’re still too expensive for price-conscious motorists – especially in family-focused segments like estates and SUVs, where a good EV might cost thousands more than an equivalent petrol car.
What’s more, many environmentally-aware car buyers question the need to buy a brand new, 1.5-tonne product when a second-hand one would do the same job. Until recently, anyone buying an EV would have to fork out for a new one, because used ones just weren’t on the market yet. But things are looking up for second-hand buyers.
The rise of the second-hand electric car market
I’ve always advocated for used cars, and have bought plenty of my own. Brand-new models are shinier and often smell nice, but the practical difference between a fresh-off-the-production-line car and an equivalent built 18 or 36 months ago is incredibly small. Most of us are perfectly happy buying used vehicles – and a lot of British motorists would consider nothing else.
It took a while for used electric cars to materialise, however. The UK’s first mainstream EV was only introduced about 15 years ago, and it took almost a decade for them to attain real popularity. But now, in 2026, one quarter of all new cars sold in a given month in the UK are electric. They’re flying off the forecourt, thanks to various incentives and leasing deals.
Browse any of the second-hand car marketplaces, including Carwow, eBay and Auto Trader, and you’ll notice that secondhand EVs are now available in all market segments. Rather than a smattering of slightly threadbare Nissan Leafs, the listings now show hatchbacks, estates, SUVs, and even sports cars. There has never been a better time to buy a used EV.
The best second-hand electric cars on a budget
That’s especially true for buyers on a budget. You can pick up a Renault Zoe for £3,000, and the original Nissan Leaf – Britain’s first proper EV – remains one of the cheapest used electric cars you can buy, with some available for a couple of grand if you’re careful about their condition. Later versions aren’t much more, though, and the Mk2 is one of the best sub-£10,000 EVs on the market. Joining it in this affordable price bracket is the Kia e-Niro and several MG models including the boring-but-practical MG 5 estate.
The Kia e-Niro is in the eelctric price bracketThe adorable Honda ‘e’ was overpriced when it was new, but if you’re happy with its 100-odd miles of range, it’s a cheap design-led runabout that costs a little over £10,000. And at around that price, much larger and more practical models become available, including the excellent Skoda Enyaq and stylish Audi Q4 e-Tron.
The best family car
It’s these mid-range family SUVs that make the most sense as second-hand buys, with many offering better value over comparable petrol models due to the speed with which EVs lost their value over the past five years. That’s bad news for the leasing companies selling them off, but good news for used buyers who want a bargain.
Beyond that, a wealth of incredibly powerful, high-performance sports EVs are available. The Porsche Taycan is perhaps the most famous, with supercar-like acceleration (zero to 62mph in less than three seconds, in some versions) but other models from manufacturers like Maserati and Lotus appear regularly.
Among high-performance sports EVs, the Porsche Taycan is the most famous (Photo: Porsche)Common second-hand electric car pitfalls
While there are fewer perishable mechanical parts in an electric powertrain, EVs still wear out after a while. There are some examples with over 200,000 miles on the clock – they’re cheap, but don’t buy one.
Buyers choosing an electric car should pay particular attention to real-world range. It’s likely that an EV’s battery will deteriorate slightly over time, and how much will depend on several factors – mainly the car’s age, how it was used, and how it was stored – but it is important to ensure that your chosen model had more than sufficient range in the first place. This is no time for wishful thinking, no matter how good the deal is.
Battery degradation was a big worry 10 years ago, but it is far less of a concern now, with most EVs losing only a sliver of battery “capacity” per year of use. Battery health can be assessed using special equipment that you can obtain on the internet if you’re a geek (using an OBD2 scanner) but most people simply check that the car’s charge depletes at a reasonable rate during a test drive. Most modern EVs come with generous transferrable warranties of up to eight years covering the batteries. Some dealers will provide you with a battery report; many will provide you with nonsense instead.
And when you do test drive, ensure you try normal and fast chargers, to make sure that all equipment is working properly. Running it on a dual carriageway will give you an impression of how the battery will perform on longer trips. And before you set off, check the tyres; faster electric models are known to be driven like go-karts by mechanically unsympathetic drivers, which can result in surprising wear on even new-ish cars.
Nissan Leaf was Britain’s first proper EV and remains one of the cheapest used electric cars (Photo: Nissan)One oft-overlooked check (in addition to normal HPI clearance, service history and other good practice diligence that applies to every used car) is the possibility that the high-mileage, great-value MG 6 you’re considering was at one point a taxi. Some buyers run a mile from this, as taxis are often driven quite hard, and there’s a chance you’ll have difficulty selling it on.
Less common second-hand EV issues
There are some model-specific “gotcha” problems, especially with older cars. The Renault Zoe was originally sold separately from its battery, which had to be leased from Renault; a handful of cars crop up locked into this arrangement, which is unlikely to be what most buyers want. And certain high-performance EVs are like kryptonite to insurers, who worry about the cost of an accident. If you’re considering an even slightly sporty electric car, get some quotes before phoning the dealer. (When the Hyundai Ioniq 5 came out, it was more expensive for me, living in London, to insure than a Ferrari Portofino.)
And while buying used is very likely to be cheaper, there isn’t always much difference. With government incentives and salary sacrifice schemes, many formerly staunch second-hand buyers are finding that new EVs can be cost-effective, especially if they plan to change cars within a few years anyway. Electric cars aren’t as expensive as they used to be – price-conscious buyers may be surprised at how far both new and used prices have fallen in the past few years.
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