I bought my last car, a Honda Fit 2010 Used with 96,560 kilometers, for a few thousand dollars. After years of taking my family on road trips in Californiamy faithful purple companion, “BlackBerry”was still working more than a decade after leaving the factory.
Is there such an offer for the public fully electric cars?
Until recently, a electric car cheap was a contradiction. The average price of a EV in 2022 it reached USD 66,000, about USD 18,000 more than a comparable gasoline vehicle. The cheapest ones couldn’t compete with the cars low budget gasoline. The usedif they were found, they were sometimes sold for a price close to the original.
But the gap It is closing quickly. In some cases, it no longer exists. It is expected that the new EVs reach the price parity with the gasoline cars around 2027. The used EVsin some cases, they are already there or sold for less thanks to generous government incentivesan increase in supply and fierce competition.
The automotive analysts they say that he market to buy a used EV has never been so good or so big: sales of used electric cars They hit a record of around 400,000 vehicles last year, double the volume in 2020, as prices fall to record lows.
And the used EVs can be key to decarbonize our roads. “For every new car, there are two used ones on the road.“, says Liz Najmana climate researcher at Recurringa start-up that monitors the EV battery health. “To achieve any climate goal, we need people to feel comfortable driving a used EV”.
So is it now possible to obtain the equivalent of a electric blackberry? Here we show you how you can get an offer.
For most Americans, two things will dictate whether they buy a EV or not: low prices and access to public chargingaccording to surveys University of Chicago Energy Policy Institute and the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
On the first front, the load remains irregular. But it is improving rapidly. Last quarter, more than 630 new fast chargers were launched, a pace that is set to accelerate dramatically thanks to USD 5 billion in federal funds set aside for a network of EV charging stations placed every 50,000 miles along interstate highways.
After skyrocketing during the pandemic, EV prices finally they started fall As more cars hit the market usedsays Ivan Drurywhich analyzes the automotive market for Edmunds.
“It’s the best time in history to buy a used EV“, says Drury. “In almost everything and any aspect, it is better today than ever”.
Almost all models have seen price cuts after what tesla started a price war by aggressively cutting prices to defend its declining market share, now up to 51% of the EV market. USA.
In July 2022the price of a Used Tesla Model Y (2021 model year) was USD 71,000. Today, it is USD 32,000, reports Edmunds. The most notable thing is that a Tesla Model 3 Used is now cheaper than the average used gasoline vehicle. He Model 3 average sold for around $25,000 in March, about 15% below the average for all used cars.
And that’s before the government incentives. One of the best deals in the Inflation Reduction Law is reserved for used vehicles: an initial discount of 30% of the sales price up to USD 4,000 for eligible cars under USD 25,000 (subject to family income). The state and the utilities They can sweeten the price even more. A guide to the credits is at recurringauto.com.
The first buyers of EV They mostly had to choose between “punishment cars”, the slow, cumbersome, low-power electric models available in the mid-2000s. Today, the situation is the reverse. At least 54 fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are now available on the market, says Najmanand electric models are winning industry awards. Of the nine finalists for this year’s North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year awards, six were electric.
And it is likely that a used EV is in better condition than average used car as they are usually high quality, low mileage and well maintained, says Drury: “For the most part, you’re getting the vehicles from someone who was an early adopter”.
The rental companies as Hertz They are also getting rid of some of their EV fleet. Although these may have seen heavier use for a few years, corporate service schedules mean they are very well maintained. Drury recommends checking for cosmetic damage, wear, and non-routine maintenance problems like suspension.
People assume that a used EV battery It’s like your battery iPhone: It wears out and must be replaced. “They are totally different beasts“, says Najman “In the data we are seeing, All batteries are holding up remarkably well.”.
Due to sophisticated cooling hardware and management software, most batteries are expected to outlive your car. Recurring studied lithium-ion battery capacity loss in 15,000 EVs dating back to 2011. The degradation, they found, tends to follow an S-curve. EV modern with a range of 402.34 or 482.80 kilometers. It could lose approximately 20 to 40 miles of maximum range in the first 20,000 miles, then level off to about 1% of battery capacity annually. For a Tesla Model 3 With 548.84 kilometers of range, that translates to a maximum range of about 482.80 kilometers after a decade.
Manufacturers are now confident that their batteries will go the distance. nissanwho launched his EV Leaf In 2010, he says that “almost all” Their original batteries are still powering their cars despite early recalls. And failure rates are decreasing. About 1.5% of vehicles have had to replace batteries, outside of recalls, since 2011, reports Recurring. That rate has fallen below 0.5% since the 2016 model year.
If you have to replace the battery, you are unlikely to pay the cost of approximately USD 6,500 to USD 20,000. The warranty policies Government-mandated policies typically cover batteries when they fail or drop below 70% to 75% of original capacity, says Drury.
While powertrain warranties conventional cars tend to last about 5 years or 96,560 kilometers, all EV enjoy a guarantee mandated by USA. eight years or 100,000 miles. In Californiathe protections extend to 10 years or 241,401 kilometers.
If you are thinking of buying a used EVtime is on your side.
“I generally advise people to wait“, says Sean Tucker from the automotive market research company Kelley Blue Book. “Almost no one regrets not spending USD 30,000. Manufacturers are using economies of scale to bring cheaper models. The longer you wait, the cheaper they will become”.
While only minor improvements can be made from the 137-year-old internal combustion engine, electric powertrain technology advances each year with advances in batteries, manufacturing techniques, and software and sensor capabilities. For future EV buyers, this means lower costs, longer range and better performance. And these rapid advances also contribute to the highest depreciation rate of the EVs.
How cheap could they get? EVs? Take a look at what’s coming to the market. He BYD of China is transforming the global EV market with well serviced cars at bargain prices. He Dolphin for USD 13,900 and the Seagull for under $10,000 are now challenging gasoline vehicles at every price point.
For now, these cars are not sold in USA due to high tariffs and political concerns about the threat they pose to automotive manufacturers detroit. But the new chinese models are spurring a wave of price cuts around the world.
In USAthe prices of the two leading models have already reached record lows: The base model of the popular Chevrolet Bolt (416.82 kilometer range) sells for less than USD 20,000 (after incentives), while the Nissan Leaf (range of 239.79 kilometers) sells for USD 29,000.
Regarding the test of electric blackberrythe market used cars He delivered.
For less than USD 10,000, I could choose from several electric hatchbacks from Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen e-Golfs or Fiats on used car sites. For less than USD 3,000 I found a fleet of Nissan Leafs Used with a range of around 112,654 kilometers to get around the city. With an initial discount for used EVs at registered dealers, I could have gotten a car for USD 2,100.
(c) 2024, The Washington Post
