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As electric vehicles (EVs) become more popular, there are more models entering the second-hand car market. Buying a used conventional car can be difficult enough, but if you're looking for an EV, there's even more to bear in mind. Our guide will help you avoid Get Auto Express updates potential disaster as you seek out the right used electric car for you.
Does an EV suit me? More like this Facebook YouTube Twitter Newsletter The first question you need to ask yourself is whether an electric vehicle is suitable for your lifestyle. One obstacle to ownership is NEWS the ability to charge an EV up. If you haven't got a garage or parking space with close access to a plug socket, then an EV will be a non- starter, quite literally.
If you can't charge an EV at home, can you do it at work? If neither of these options are open to you, then you'll be reliant on the UK's 2016 a record year for UK EV charging network. This is patchy at best, and only really new car registrations, but effective if you live in London or the South East. numbers predicted to fall in 2017 • Best new electric cars on sale
NEWS Even then, there's no guarantee that the charging point you go to CES 2017: latest car tech will be working, and it might not cater for your car's charging requirements. EV charging points at supermarkets and other busy locations could be occupied by thoughtless non-EV owners, too - it's the equivalent of parking at a petrol pump when you're just popping into the mini mart for a loaf of bread. news from the Consumer If you're confident that you'll be able to charge an EV, the next thing Electronics Show you need to bear in mind is what kind of driving you normally do. If you do a lot of motorway miles, then an EV is a no-go, as a fully NEWS charged battery will lose its charge a lot faster at motorway speeds than the estimated range will lead you to believe. If short urban trips take up most of your driving, then an EV is ideal, as stop-start traffic will help limit battery depletion, and in some models it will even replenish the battery while you're on the move.
Smart parking assistant Charging options Find new cars trialled by Mercedes and Depending on which car you go for, you need to be aware of the Bosch Find your new car with our different charging options open to you. All models will have a SEARCH NOW charging cable with a standard UK three-pin plug available, so you new cars search. NEWS can simply plug the car into the mains. But this is the slowest way of charging an EV. Find used cars Image 2 of 14 Find your used car with our SEARCH NOW used cars search. Audi working with NVIDIA to create self-driving AI cars by 2020
There are Government incentives available to get an EV charging station set up at your home, and this can reduce charging times by up to 60 per cent. You can currently get up to £500 off a home charge point installation, although you need proof of ownership of an EV before you can apply, so this will be something to consider once you've bought an electric car.
Current EVs use an industry standard seven-pin charging lead, but older EVs may only come with two or five-pin charging leads and sockets. If you're looking at a Tesla Model S, then you will have access to the firm's Supercharger network, which uses yet another type of charging lead that's incompatible with any other electric car charger.
What to look for The biggest issue with electric cars, and particularly used electric cars, is how well the batteries keep their charge. If you purchase a car that has trouble maintaining battery energy, then you'll need to consider the cost of replacing the battery. This can be astronomical, especially when compared to the cost of buying a used EV, as electric cars have poor depreciation that will soon see their used price fall below the cost of battery replacement.
To eliminate this potential headache, you can look at an EV that has a battery lease plan to go with it. Renault offered such a scheme from 2015 onwards, and while you'll have a monthly battery lease to pay, this will be offset by the car's lower price.
Other than that, you can look at a used EV in the same way as you would a conventional car. Make sure all of the electrics work - EVs are usually pretty well equipped, so check all the gadgets are functioning - while most electric cars will have been used in town, so keep an eye out for wheel damage that may extend to the suspension behind it.
Battery warranty Most EVs come with a separate warranty for their battery, and this usually runs for longer than the car's warranty. There was an industry standard eight-year warranty on many models, although some later cars have a shorter five-year term. Either way, this should give you added peace of mind that the battery will keep its charge.
What are the best used electric cars? So which used electric cars should you be thinking about if you are looking to buy? We’ve rounded up six of the best.
BMW i3
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BMW started with a clean slate when it created the i3 – and it shows. Designed without compromise, the distinctive supermini has a body built from lightweight carbon fibre and offers great practicality.
If you’re not sure about going the whole hog with a purely electric car there’s also a range-extender (REx) edition available. This features a 650cc petrol engine that acts as an on-board generator to keep the batteries topped up, so there’s no danger of being left stranded on your adventures in 2017.
• BMW i3 Range Extender long-term test review
Owners seem happy so far, but punctured tyres are common, especially on 20-inch wheels. There have also been a number of software updates to improve how the car charges and runs, so make sure they’ve all been done before buying.
Vital statistics
UK sales started: November 2013 Used prices from: £16,000 Official range: 80-195 miles (288 miles for REx) Number sold so far: 5,897 (including REx) Battery warranty: 8yrs/100k miles Replacement battery: N/A Driver Power 2016 ranking: N/A
Kia Soul EV
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Most Kia Souls have an internal combustion engine, so the EV version is something of a compromise, even if it works rather well in practice. As a small family car, it’s reasonably practical for travel. The boot isn’t all that big so you might have to cut back on what you plan to carry, but cabin space is no worse than in a regular edition. The dash is modern and appealing but looks conventional, while like all the cars in this line-up the Kia comes as an automatic only.
When we ran a Soul EV on our fleet in 2015 the car proved reliable and we loved it. Relatively few electric models have been sold so far, but there don’t seem to be any fault patterns yet.
Vital statistics
UK sales started: November 2014 Used prices from: £18,000 Official range: 132 miles Number sold so far: 282 Battery warranty: 7yrs/100k miles Replacement battery: £11,210 Driver Power 2016: 54th (all Souls)
Nissan Leaf
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As the first commercially successful electric car, the Leaf is a trailblazer. With almost six years’ worth of sales now under its belt, the family hatchback is also by far the most plentiful EV on the used market – unlike the other models in our list, there are hundreds of second-hand Leafs to choose from.
When we ran one on our fleet, the Nissan’s keys were usually the first to be claimed every night, thanks to its compliant ride, nippy urban performance and ultra-low running costs (EVs are exempt from London’s Congestion Charge).
Some early cars are now suffering from a reduced range, but that doesn’t mean the entire battery pack has to be replaced – you can just swap out the faulty cells, which is a relatively inexpensive process.
Vital statistics
UK sales started: March 2011 Used prices from: £6,000 Official range: 124 miles Number sold so far: 16,344 Battery warranty: 5yrs/60k miles Replacement battery: £4,920 (less £820 for old battery) Driver Power 2016: 12th
Renault ZOE
Of all the electric cars available, the ZOE is perhaps the best all- rounder. It’s good to drive, spacious and practical, but it’s also more affordable than any of the alternatives.
With even entry-level models well equipped, there’s no reason to shop further up the range, and the Renault promises more than 100 Image 9 of 14
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There is one big caveat, however – on top of the purchase cost, NEWSLETTER you’ll also have to pay at least £70 per month to lease the battery. That’s unless you buy a ZOE i (from November 2015), which comes Sign up for our daily newwsilteh tthte rbattery included, although you’ll struggle to find one of these for less than £15,000.
Enter your email here Vital statistics
UK sales started: March 2013 Used prices from: £6,000 Official range: 130 milesSIGN ME UP Number sold so far: 5,046 Battery warranty: 5yrs/60k miles Replacement battery: N/A Driver Power 2016: 2nd
Tesla Model S
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Tesla came from nowhere and created a luxury car with everything – apart from a conventional engine. Drive one of these astonishing exec hatchbacks, and your perceptions of EVs will be changed forever.
You pay handsomely for the privilege, but in return the Model S brings a spacious interior that feels ultra-modern with its touchscreen tablet dash. There’s a huge boot in the nose and an even bigger one behind the cabin, plus the Tesla offers enough performance to worry fully fledged supercars – while carrying five adults in comfort. Some owners have experienced reliability issues, but the Model S came top in our Driver Power 2016 satisfaction survey.
Vital statistics
UK sales started: May 2014 Used prices from: £58,000 Official range: 248-381 miles Number sold so far: N/A Battery warranty: 8yrs/unlimited miles Replacement battery: N/A Driver Power 2016: 1st
Volkswagen e-Golf
Image 13 of 14 The Golf is a great family hatch – one of our favourites, in fact. However, when you create an EV from a car powered by petrol or diesel, it’s inevitably not as slick as one that was designed to run on electricity from the outset.
In this case, the e-Golf retains the original’s practicality, superb build quality and refinement levels, but the ride is disappointing, the price is too high and the handling isn’t as sweet as you’d expect from a Golf. If you can get the right deal, the VW is definitely worth a closer look, though – especially once prices have dropped further.
Vital statistics
UK sales started: June 2014 Used prices from: £19,000 Official range: 118 miles Number sold so far: N/A Battery warranty: 8yrs/100k miles Replacement battery: £18,497 + fitting Driver Power 2016: 27th (all Golfs)
Would you buy a used electric car? Let us know in the comments section below…
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