How Reliable Are Used Electric Cars?

Breaking Down the Pros and Cons of EV Vehicles with Previous Owners

Electric cars are the future of the automotive industry. They effectively solve the emissions problem while still providing drivers with a safe and reliable method of travel. However, we’re still at a point where the industry has quite a long way to go with the EV market. Major metropolitan areas are installing charging stations at grocery stores, gas stations, and other highly trafficked areas, but it’s going to be years before they’re as abundant as fuel pumps.

Additionally, although electric cars are slowly becoming more affordable for the average consumer, they still provide quite a bit of sticker shock. This holds especially true for a brand like Tesla whose model S starts around $70,000. A car that expensive is simply not feasible for most car buyers, which is why many people these days are considering used EV vehicles.

When considering used electric cars, naturally, questions regarding the vehicle’s reliability and affordability arise. The used EV market is one where both the pros and cons need to be weighed.

Pro #1 – Save Tons of Money Off the Original Sticker Price

Cars depreciate. We all know that. However, electric cars tend to depreciate even faster than those that run on fuel. It’s not uncommon for an EV car to lose 50% or more of its original value within the first five years. The reason? New EV cars are often significantly better as opposed to marginally better than their previous iterations. This makes older versions of EV cars less desirable, and therefore, lower in value. The fact remains though that a used EV vehicle should have plenty of operational life left in it.

Pro #2 – Far Less Maintenance Costs

The scariest part of buying a used car – especially if it has a ton of mileage on it – is all the repair costs you’ll be taking on. With an electric car, this isn’t necessarily the case. The reason for that is that EV cars don’t require nearly as much maintenance as traditional cars do. In most cases, an electric car requires tire rotation/replacement, air filter replacement, and the occasional replacement of coolant. EV cars are very easy to care for.

Pro #3 – Let the Previous Owner Discover the Errors Made by the Manufacturer

Electric cars are still a new technology. That means that some of the bugs and kinks are still being worked out, many of which are discovered by drivers when they’re out there on the road. What’s nice about this is that most of these issues are very well documented. For instance, when you’re shopping for cars by searching the term “used cars near me you can not only see the EV cars that are available in your area, but also the common problems they’re having. By being able to see these problems, you can avoid putting your money down on an EV car that historically has been having issues. Conversely, the EV cars that are performing well will be well documented as well. 

Con #1 – You Won’t Get the Tax Credit

We’ve all heard about the $7,500 tax credit that you get by switching over to an electric vehicle. However, that tax credit only applies to the person who originally purchased the car – not the person who purchased it afterwards. If you buy a used EV, you won’t get the tax credit, but you also won’t get hit with all the depreciation the first owner got hit with.     

Con #2 – Battery Degradation

Battery degradation is when a battery loses its available capacity. We see this with cell phones all the time. A full charge when you first got the phone isn’t the same as a full charge many years later. In the case of EV cars, battery degradation equates to a reduction in driving range. The car may have advertised a range of 300 miles upon release, however, with battery degradation factored in, the actual current range may be down to 270. In most cases, a used EV car is going to be able to perform the way you need it to. Just be conscious of the fact that the battery’s performance will go down year-over-year.

Con #3 – Charging Stations Hard to Come by in Some Areas

The biggest con for a lot of people is the charging station issue. Although charging stations are popping up more and more all the time, they are still few and far between in rural areas. If you have plans of making any cross-country trips, you have to be extra diligent about locating charging stations on your route.

Find Your Electric Vehicle Today

Although electric cars have their pros and cons, so too do all the millions of cars and SUVs that run on gasoline. If you’ve ever taken the time to figure out how much you spend at the pump per year, then you can see why many people are making the switch to electric. Traditional cars also require far more maintenance.

If you’re finally ready to make the switch, the new VW electric car for sale is both reliable and affordable. In fact, the Volkswagen ID.4 was recently named 2021 World Car of the Year. It uses the latest in EV technology, features the latest in safety and convenience features, and is confirmed to drive 260 miles on a single charge.