Used EV Buyer's Guide
Buying a used electric vehicle requires checking different things than a combustion car. Here is the data-driven approach.
1. Battery Degradation: The Truth
The fear of dead batteries is overblown. Real-world data shows modern EV batteries degrade by roughly 1-2% per year. A 4-year-old EV will typically still have 92-95% of its original capacity.
| Model (Year) | Avg. Starting Range | Avg. Range at 50k miles | Degradation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Leaf (2018) 40kWh | 168 miles | 145 miles | ~13% |
| Tesla Model 3 SR+ (2019) | 254 miles | 233 miles | ~8% |
| Kia e-Niro (2020) 64kWh | 282 miles | 265 miles | ~6% |
2. Checking State of Health (SoH)
Don't trust the "guess-o-meter" on the dashboard. Request a battery State of Health report from the dealer (find EV specialists in our dealer directory). For Nissan Leafs, look at the capacity bars on the dashboard. For others, an OBD2 scanner and a smartphone app (like LeafSpy or ScanMyTesla) can reveal the exact percentage.
3. Charging Capabilities
Older EVs might lack fast charging. Check if the car has CCS (the European standard for fast charging) or CHAdeMO (older standard, less common on new chargers). If you plan to road trip, CCS is heavily preferred.
Fuel Savings Calculator
Calculate how much you could save switching to an EV.
Assumes £1.50/litre petrol and 30p/kWh charging.