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The Rundown
With gas prices slowly going back down, more Americans feel more at ease driving and taking the car to any pump to fill up again. However, a lot of us are left with this lingering feeling, are electric cars a better option? When we find that an electric car may work for our daily commute we then want to know where to get an electric car, should I get a new EV and pay the new car premiums? Or should I purchase a used EV at a much more attractive price? Those looking at the used car market often wonder if there are any electric vehicles nearby. We are here to answer that question and more for those looking at the used electric car market.
Are Used Electric Vehicles Hard to Find?
The answer is generally no, but since electric cars make up less of the market than gas cars, there are significantly fewer electric cars available. Electric cars are often like any other vehicle in this aspect, people use them, and they move on and want something better. Generally, the availability of used electric vehicles depends on where you live, and a good rule of thumb is the closer you are to metropolitan areas, the more electric vehicles you will find. For those of you who live a significant distance from a big city or high traffic areas, there will still be electric vehicle options, but fewer and generally higher priced.
Is It Important to Consider Battery Life on a Used Electric Car?
Yes, like any other electronics we use in our daily lives the lithium batteries in vehicles will slowly lose their full charge. Although this is unavoidable most batteries retain high level charges for years. The easiest way to see how much battery charge is left, is to ask to see the battery at full charge, the range will then be displayed. Using this range you can cross check it with the car’s original range, this will give you a decent idea of where your battery life is at. Battery warranties may possibly still cover the battery, using the vin number you can contact the automobile manufacturer and verify if there is still a battery warranty in effect.
What is the Resale Value like on a used electric vehicle?
Resale value is something that is important to all potential car buyers, and this might be some more good news. Electric cars used to depreciate quickly, but in recent years have begun to depreciate slower, still not as slow as a standard vehicle, but better than the original EVs. This means that one can find an electric car for a reasonable price, especially with tax incentives. The flipside of this coin is that your used car will continue to depreciate at an accelerated rate, making it harder to resell after your purchase.
Summary
It can be difficult to purchase any car and adding in an electric car makes it just a little bit more complicated. Is it a great idea to buy a used electric car? Well that really depends on you. They may be difficult to find where you live, or there may be loads of options to choose from. You also need to find out what the battery life on the car is like, as this will determine how long you can use the vehicle in the future. We are here to help. Give us a call for more information on your used vehicle purchase.