There have been plenty of headlines lately about the fall in second-hand values of electric cars. That’s bad news if you have recently bought one new, but if you are thinking about a used electric car, perhaps as a second car or even your main one, it might just be music to your ears, because – as a result – used EVs are currently cheaper than ever before.
Indeed, while the perception remains among a large section of the buying public that EVs are expensive to buy at any stage, the reality is that plenty of brilliant electric cars are now available for less than £20,000, and usually substantially so, without exposing you to the potential perils of the banger end of the market.
And while battery degradation is always a concern with a used EV, these cars are still new enough to have almost all of their original battery capacity; some even come with part of their manufacturer warranty still to run.
So if you want to dip a toe in the electric car pool but don’t want to spend a fortune on a brand new model, these are the best in their respective fields.
Best budget used EV: Volkswagen e-Golf (2014-2020)
With the rise of Volkswagen’s first dedicated EV, the ID.3, the older e-Golf has been somewhat forgotten, but it now represents great value. Early examples, with the smaller 24kWh battery pack, are the cheapest and will probably manage 60-70 real-world miles between charges, making them best suited as urban runarounds or commuters.
Later examples don’t cost that much more, though; their 36kWh battery pack provides a more usable real-world range of about 115 miles. DC charging is still relatively slow by modern standards, at 40kW peak, but that’s still enough to allow a 10 to 80 per cent charge in just over half an hour.
What’s more, early indications are that a VW’s decline in battery capacity over time is very low. As part of Geotab’s survey of 6,000 electric cars, the e-Golf recorded one of the lowest rates of battery degradation, with about 96 per cent of the original capacity remaining after three years. And on top of that, the e-Golf has repeatedly been rated as one of the most dependable electric cars in successive reliability surveys. That of course makes it a brilliant used buy.
The best thing about the Golf, however, is its relative normality. Away from its powertrain, it looks and feels just like a petrol or diesel automatic Mk7 Golf – with all the practicality, quality and comfort that entails. As a result, it’s worth the extra over the only other EV of a similar size and price, the first-generation Nissan Leaf.
Price to pay: from £8,000
We found: 2018 e-Golf 36kWh, 61,000 miles, full service history, £10,500
Need to know: While the e-Golf rates very well for reliability, some early production examples suffered from electrical issues with the battery control module; unrelated, extended use in ECO+ mode can cause the 12-volt battery to drain.
Best used EV for fun: Mini Electric (2020-2023)
When Mini set about creating an electric car, it knew it had to maintain the brand’s reputation for being fun to drive. Happily, the Mini Electric is one of the most entertaining EVs, delivering a driving experience that offers far more feel and feedback than most.
And it isn’t only on the move that the Mini Electric feels good. In common with petrol- and diesel-powered Minis, its cheeky styling, retro interior and huge variety of paint and trim finishes mean it’s both fun to look at and to be in, even at rest. It has an excellent reliability record, too, having finished top of the table for electric cars in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey.
Granted, the Mini Electric isn’t the best choice if practicality is your primary requirement. It’s only available in three-door form and the rear seats are tight, so loading your offspring into child seats is a bit of a faff. The boot is pretty tiny, too, and the real-world electric range of about 110 miles isn’t vast. But if you’re after an urban runaround that’ll make you smile, the Mini is hard to beat.
Price to pay: from £10,500
We found: 2020 Mini Electric Level 1, 45,000 miles, full service history, £11,600
Need to know: Some Minis have been known to suffer odd electrical glitches, caused by short circuits in the wiring loom. These aren’t easy to trace but, once found, they’re often easy to put right.
Best for comfort: Citroën ë-C4 (2020-present)
The extra weight of a battery makes EVs more inclined to flop around when negotiating corners; to counter this, most manufacturers fit stiffer suspension, which can make electric cars feel quite bumpy.
Not Citroën, though. The French marque’s stated aim is to place a priority on comfort and as part of that it has made sure the suspension in its ë-C4 is as smooth as can be. Combined with the plush “Advanced Comfort” seats that are standard on top models, the result is an EV that does a terrific job of isolating bumps from your backside.
But doesn’t that mean it rolls all over the place? It’s true that the ë-C4 isn’t quite as precise or as taut as some rivals – but neither does it go to pieces in bends, with the body surprisingly well controlled and plenty of grip. And with a hatchback boot and five spacious seats, it’s a practical family car, too.
Price to pay: from £11,500
We found: 2021 Citroën ë-C4 Shine 50kWh, 21,000 miles, £12,990
Need to know: Entry-level Sense and Sense Plus versions are pretty thinly equipped and don’t offer enough of a discount compared with the plusher Shine variant to make them worthwhile.
Best for space: Skoda Enyaq (2021-present)
If you want an EV with a massive boot and loads of room for four passengers, then the Enyaq it is. With its flat floor, there’s tonnes of space in the back, while the large doors make loading kids in and out of child seats a doddle.
Happily, space isn’t the only thing the Enyaq does well. As long as you avoid the Sportline models, it’s also pretty comfy as EVs go, with supple suspension that does a good job of smoothing out bumps.
And with its surprisingly swish upholstered dashboard, it’s also a particularly pleasant place to spend time.
Granted, the Enyaq isn’t perfect – its glitchy touchscreen, based on the same basic software as the infamous system in the Volkswagen ID.3, can be a pain to use. But otherwise, this is an excellent choice as a family-friendly EV with loads of space.
Price to pay: from £17,000
We found: Enyaq 60, 31,000 miles, full service history, £18,899
Need to know: Buggy touchscreen software, particularly on early examples, glitches with driver assist sensors and cameras.
Best for ease of use: Tesla Model 3 (2019-2024)
There’s a reason the Model 3 has become one of the UK’s best-selling electric cars, and it’s not just the forward-thinking public image of the brand.
Climb aboard and there’s no starter button. As long as you have the key card in your pocket, you simply select “Drive”, press the accelerator to go and press the brake to stop. It’s that easy.
The huge central touchscreen contains all the car’s controls so it can therefore be somewhat fiddly to find your way around. But with that exception, using the Model 3 is simple. And most important of all, so is charging it.
Simply roll up at a Tesla Supercharger and connect your car. The two will communicate, start the charge and bill your account – no faffing around with apps or cards. Mind you, given the long range of the Model 3 – even the Standard Range Plus can achieve about 195 miles on a charge in the real world – you shouldn’t have to use a Supercharger too often.
Price to pay: from £14,000
We found: 2020 Model 3 Standard Range Plus, 39,000 miles, one owner, £17,995
Need to know: Model 3s are better built than the larger Model S, generally speaking, but early cars still suffered quality glitches so inspect panel gaps carefully and look for telltale signs of issues like condensation in light units or error messages on the screen.
Best all-rounder (and our best buy): Kia e-Niro (2018-2022)
There’s a reason the e-Niro was our favourite electric car for a long time. Its combination of sensible size, impressive range, practical interior, comfortable ride, generous specification and neat handling made it a no-brainer for those looking for a modestly priced EV as their next family car.
Those traits remain valid and with values having taken a tumble recently, the e-Niro can now be had for very sensible sums on the used market.
Don’t forget that the e-Niro is covered by Kia’s seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty, too – and given that it was introduced in 2019, that means every e-Niro will still have at least two years of its manufacturer warranty remaining.
At this price, that makes the e-Niro a brilliant all-rounder; that’s why it’s currently our recommended best-buy among used EVs.
Price to pay: from £14,000
We found: 2021 e-Niro 3 64kWh, 37,000 miles, full service history, £16,995
Need to know: Standard 12-volt batteries can drain easily, especially if the ignition is left on while the car isn’t running – a faulty boot switch can also drain the battery.
…and the used electric car to avoid: SsangYong/KGM Korando e-Motion (2020-present)
On the face of it, the SsangYong (latterly rebranded KGM) Korando seems to make quite an appealing case: a car that’s a size bigger than most of the rivals on price, while offering plenty of equipment into the bargain.
Naturally, there’s a catch, which becomes clear when you get behind the wheel, because the Korando e-Motion is an odd fish to drive, with a singular blend of sponginess and stiffness that makes it feel all at sea at urban speeds.
It’s more settled at higher velocities, but noisy, and no matter how fast you’re going you have to live with the tacky interior, cheap-feeling materials and buggy, slow touchscreen.
Don’t be fooled by the price, then: it’s cheap, but the Korando e-Motion isn’t good value, especially when an equivalent Enyaq is barely any more costly.
