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Would buying a secondhand electric car be a wise investment?

Thinking about buying a small electric car for my wife. She does mainly local trips, shopping, visiting friends, absolute maximum 70 - 80 miles in a day. I know new electric cars are expensive and suffer huge depreciation in the first few years. Would a secondhand electric car be a wise investment and, if so, what is the life and cost of the battery?

Asked on 11 August 2017 by John Alderson

Answered by Honest John
The problem with all electric cars (apart from Tesla) is battery degradation. That's why it's better to buy the car (cheaply) and lease the battery (at from about £70 a month). If you buy a used electric car with battery included you could face having to replace it at a cost of £2000 - £3000, so make sure you include that in your sums.

If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

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