Used electric vehicles are an amazing value for the money right now. With the market for new EVs showing record sales, it’s perhaps easy to forget that some of the best buys are on the used market. A recent investigation reports that the overall used market for electric vehicles has increased 7% this year in the UK.
Just this month, I bumped into two old acquaintances who were eager to tell me they bought BMW i3s. One thing they both repeated that played into the choice was the range extender. Some find comfort in this possibility — both of these drivers certainly did. CAP HPI notes the same thing but with more statistical significance regarding the attraction.
Motoring expert Chris Plumb from hpi said: “Interestingly it appears to be the range extender models which are driving the recent strong performance as values of pure electric have struggled of late. The BMW i3 is a popular choice and is a great second-hand buy. It brings a good level of specification and badge prestige.”
“The optional range extender can increase the range of the BMW i3 in comfort Mode from up to 125 miles to a total of 206 miles. The small, rear-mounted, quiet two-cylinder petrol engine powers a generator that maintains the charge of the battery at a constant level, so that the BMW i3 can continue to drive electrical.”
| Range | Model/Trim | Cost New |
15/15 20K |
| BMW i3 | 5dr Auto (13-16) [170] | £30,925 | £14,650 |
| BMW i3 | Range Extender 5dr Auto (13-16) [170] | £34,075 | £18,400 |
| Nissan Leaf | Tekna 5dr Auto (15–) [109] | £30,535 | £9,900 |
| Nissan Leaf | Tekna 30KWh 5dr Auto (15–) [109] | £31,435 | £12,200 |
The Nissan Leaf does not have a range extender, of course, but some folks don’t want anything to do with gas — at all — and find the range of a Leaf adequate enough for their driving needs. In that crowd, you could theoretically get two Leafs for the price of one i3.
The Nissan Leaf seems that it’s always an electric favorite — agile, adaptable, spacious, smooth, swift, dependable, and zero emissions. HPI continues, “With the 30KWh power, the train is attracting higher used values than the 24kWh as it has a larger range, with an NEDC range of up to 124 miles (LEAF 24kWh) or up to 155 miles (LEAF 30kWh).”
The CAP HPI report also notes that demand for conventional hybrid used vehicles remains high. “Used values bucked market trends in June and prices strengthened overall, moving up by an average of 0.2% at three years 60,000 miles. Certain derivatives performed particularly well such as the Toyota Prius (12-17) Plug-In which increased by 3.9%, Lexus RX (12-16) Hybrid which saw values rise by 2% as too did the Prius+ (12- ) Hybrid.”
EV sales in Europe show continued popularity of both the BMW i3 and Nissan Leaf (new car sales). Expect the used market for these cars to continue going strong for years to come.
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