Best used electric cars to buy now
Looking to join the electric car revolution but have a smaller budget? Here are the best used electric cars to buy
Electric cars have entered the automotive mainstream and now millions of car buyers are wondering if an EV could work for them. There are more and more electric cars available these days, but even the cheapest new electric car models are expensive, so why not consider buying a cheaper used electric car instead?
Our road testers have thoroughly tested every electric car on the market and we’ve picked the best used electric cars currently available for a more affordable way into EV ownership. We tend to think of EVs as expensive, but with cars like the Nissan Leaf, BMW i3 and Renault Zoe all prove it’s now possible to find a decent used electric car for a low price.
A used electric car could be an even better buy than a used petrol or diesel car, as EVs are proving to be very reliable and cheap cars to run so far, with fewer moving parts and less to go wrong. They also tend to do fewer miles in the same amount of time, so there are some used electric cars out there that are like new even at a few years old.
However, an electric car needs to work for you. If you can charge up at home and don't tend to do lots of motorway trips, they're perfect. Charging at home can mean ultra-low running costs that no equivelant petrol or diesel car can dream of getting close to, and of course there are plenty of environmental benefits as well.
Best used electric cars to buy
There are more and more electric cars making their way onto the used car market, so our expert road testers have picked out the best buys below.
1. Vauxhall Corsa Electric (Mk5)
When Vauxhall launched its first full EV back in the summer of 2020, we found a huge amount to like, but we were left with one lingering reservation. Despite the fact that the Corsa Electric was smooth, quiet and easy to drive, and the electric powertrain made it more pleasant to be in than the petrol and diesel versions, the price was just too high. With top-spec models starting at over £30,000 when new, it would take a huge number of miles with the promise of tiny running costs to overcome the thousands of pounds extra over internal-combustion variants.
However, that has all changed on the used market. Today, the all-electric Corsas have reached price parity with petrol ones of similar vintage. But what, exactly, does that get you? Well, the Corsa E’s powertrain is perfect for small-car buyers, pairing a single 134bhp motor with a 50kWh battery, which in the real world is good for around 180 miles of range.
If you plan to take the car on longer trips, then its ability to accept 100kW charging means a 0-80 per cent top up takes little more than 30 minutes – time for a spot of lunch and a stroll to stretch your legs. And stretching its legs is something this Corsa is happy to do – engage Sport Mode to access all 134bhp and it’ll sprint from 0-62mph in just 7.6 seconds, a figure that’s faster than any of the petrol options, but feels even quicker thanks to the instant torque of the electric motor. Later on in the car’s life, revised software and gearing traded a little of its performance for better efficiency – especially at motorway speeds – making a 200-mile range more achievable. More recently, the 51kWh battery and a livelier 154bhp electric motor lifted the range higher still.
Elsewhere, the Corsa E has the same virtues as the rest of the Corsa family. The neatly styled hatchback body looks smart – especially if you stretch to an Elite Nav model with a contrasting black roof – and it’s more refined in electric form than it is with petrol or diesel engines. After four years on sale, there’s plenty of choice available on the used market, too.
2. Fiat 500e
Like the Corsa E, the Fiat 500e was hamstrung from launch by a purchase price well above similarly sized petrol alternatives. But the used market has levelled the playing field, with the most affordable examples now carrying barely 10,000 miles on the clock and offering incredible style, tech and refinement for the money.
3. Tesla Model Y
From the moment that the Tesla Model Y arrived in 2022, it became an instant hit. With all the perks of the Model 3, including performance, range and slick in-car tech, integrated into a more spacious package, it didn’t take long for customers to flock to their local Tesla store by the thousands. The upshot is that used buyers can now get their hands on a pre-owned Model Y for a temptingly low price.
4. Hyundai Ioniq Electric
This is the Hyundai Ioniq’s second gong on the trot in our Used Electric Car category. There have been numerous new zero-emissions arrivals on second-hand forecourts over the past 12 months, but the Ioniq Electric is still a very tempting buy, thanks to a variety of strengths. For starters, few electric cars cost as little to buy. With the used market still wary of EVs, values of the Ioniq have slumped to the point that you can pick up tidy early cars for under £10,000.
5. Tesla Model S (Mk1)
Prices of Tesla’s flagship Model S continue to tumble, but the level of prestige and technology on offer remains the same. Featuring a spacious interior, sports car-rivalling performance and a range of at least 250 miles, the Model S makes a tempting choice. And that’s before you factor in the brand’s Supercharger network.
6. Kia e-Niro (Mk1)
The Kia e-Niro is one of the best electric cars around, and that's even more true when buying used. A range of around 280 miles is very impressive for the e-Niro, and it achieves this by being really efficient. We found that the e-Niro is one of the most efficient EVs around, making good use of its modest 64kWh battery. It even keeps consumption low on the motorway, where most EVs tend to use a lot of juice.
7. BMW i3 (Mk1)
Avant-garde looks and a high price meant the BMW i3 didn’t penetrate the market like the brand hoped it might. Yet as a used car the i3 makes lots of sense. For starters it’s good to drive, costs buttons to run and has a beautifully finished interior that’s packed with tech. What’s more, i3 owners tend to be enthusiasts who cherish their cars.
8. Volkswagen e-Golf (Mk7)
Manufacturers have taken one of two approaches when pitching their new EVs. Some have chosen to go radical – to produce something that looks and feels like nothing else, in order to sell the technology in a new and exciting light. And some brands choose to offer buyers something that seems familiar, in order to reassure buyers that even though the fuel comes from a plug rather than a pump, it’ll still slip into everyday life. VW has gone for the latter – it doesn’t want to alienate customers new to electrification. This approach has worked brilliantly with the e-Golf. Here’s an electric car that doesn’t shout about its zero-emission tech – only the most eagle-eyed VW fans will notice the blue highlights and aerodynamic alloys that set it apart from the standard petrols and diesels.
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