If your current car is on the way out and you think an electric replacement is too expensive, think again. Three-year-old Tesla Model 3s and Kia e-Niros that will do 250-300 miles on a single charge can now be bought for as little as £14,000.
In the last year, forecourt prices for used electric cars have tumbled to the extent that previously unaffordable models are now within the reach of many families for the first time.
Values have fallen so much that two weeks ago Auto Trader said they had reached near-parity with petrol cars. The average price of a three- to five-year-old EV in July was £18,964, compared with £18,076 for petrol models of the same age, it said.
Three or four years ago, some gamechanging, super-efficient models were being snapped up new by buyers in large numbers. They typically cost £40,000-£50,000 new, but three years on these vehicles are now appearing on the used car market with 60,000-75,000 miles on the clock, at much more affordable prices.
“There are some spectacular bargains out there,” says David Smith of Cheltenham-based Cleevely Electric Vehicles, one of the UK’s highest regarded independent sellers and servicers of EVs.
Asked which electric car he would recommend to a family for under £15,000, he’s unequivocal in his recommendation of the 64kWh-batteried Kia e-Niro.
“These cars are really efficient, have a good range – of about 250 miles, depending on conditions – and have proved reliable both mechanically and for battery life,” he says.
“Many will have the balance of the original seven-year warranty. If you do a lot of long journeys and will have to rely on the public chargers away from home, then you may want to opt for a Tesla, which gains you access to its fast-charging network. But for those looking for the maximum car for the money, the e-Niro really delivers.”
Smith says another model for the price-conscious EV buyer to consider is the MG5, which is a traditional-looking estate car. Cleevely Electric Vehicles has seven mobile mechanics who tour the UK in these models servicing cars, and he says they have proved very reliable – in several cases doing more than 200,000 miles without any major problem.
He says buyers need not be put off by relatively higher mileage EVs even though there is a perception they are a risk because the batteries can fail or degrade. Smith says his company has seen plenty of 60,000-mile cars showing very little range loss from new.
One advantage of opting for a used high-mileage EV is that any gremlins that can dog new electric cars will have been ironed out.
This week, Guardian Money found several Kia e-Niros with the 64kWh battery for sale on Auto Trader for £14,000-£15,000, some with as few as 37,000 miles on the clock. If you are prepared to buy privately – without the consumer protection of buying from a dealer – the cars are significantly cheaper.