Expert gives advice for buying pre-owned electric vehicles

In our series, Driving Into the Future sponsored by Electric for All, we take a look at options for buying pre-owned electric vehicles.

Julius Lopez of Thousand Oaks, California really likes his 2023 Kia Niro EV. Not just for the environmental side, but because of the deal he got. Its original sticker price was $47,000.

"We purchased it one year old, 5,000 miles on it, and saved about a third of the price," he said. "It was $30,000. That's a great deal; that's a fantastic deal."

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He's one of many who've benefited from buying an electric vehicle used instead of new.

"I think right now is probably, in recent memory, possibly the best time to buy a used EV," said Joseph Yoon, consumer insights analyst at Edmunds.com, a car advice site.

Lopez says he wasn't worried about things like battery life, as this Kia, as well as another EV he and his wife bought used, came with low miles and lots of warranty left on the high-voltage battery packs.

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"Batteries have come a huge way since the old hybrid days of 25 to 30 years ago," noted Yoon.

Plus, most reputable sellers will have the battery of an EV tested for what's called a "battery score" to show its current condition. It provides some peace of mind for buyers.

This year could be a great time to get a great deal on a pre-owned EV. Why? Because a whole bunch of them are going to be showing up at dealer lots, coming off leases.

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"We have a ton of EVs that were leased in 2023, that are basically guaranteed to come back to market in 2026," said Yoon.

Edmunds offers some more pointers for wise used EV shopping:

• Look for CPO or certified pre-owned vehicles, which tend to have better warranties.


• No more federal rebates, but check for local and state ones, on both EVs and home charging units.


• Avoid older or high-mileage vehicles.

The exceptions to that last one are the Chevy Bolt and Nissan LEAF, since both are so extremely affordable compared to other models. They're serviceable commuter cars for the budget-conscious.

As for Lopez, would he purchase an electric car used again?

"I wouldn't buy any other way," he said.