Best used electric cars to buy 2025

Electric cars have entered the automotive mainstream and now millions of car buyers are wondering if an EV could work for them. There are more and more electric cars available these days, but even the cheapest new electric car models are expensive, so why not consider buying a cheaper used electric car instead? 

Our road testers have thoroughly tested every electric car on the market and we’ve picked the best used electric cars currently available for a more affordable way into EV ownership. We tend to think of EVs as expensive, but with cars like the Nissan Leaf, BMW i3 and Renault Zoe all prove it’s now possible to find a decent used electric car for a low price.

A used electric car could be an even better buy than a used petrol or diesel car, as EVs are proving to be very reliable and cheap cars to run so far, with fewer moving parts and less to go wrong. They also tend to do fewer miles in the same amount of time, so there are some used electric cars out there that are like new even at a few years old.

However, an electric car needs to work for you. If you can charge up at home and don't tend to do lots of motorway trips, they're perfect. Charging at home can mean ultra-low running costs that no equivelant petrol or diesel car can dream of getting close to, and of course there are plenty of environmental benefits as well.

Best used electric cars to buy

There are more and more electric cars making their way onto the used car market, so our expert road testers have picked out the best buys below.

1. Jaguar I-Pace

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Scooping its second gong in this year’s Used Car Awards is the Jaguar I-Pace. Not only is it strong enough to be our favourite executive car of 2025, it’s also got the credentials to walk away with the electric car prize, too.

At a time when rivals such as Mercedes and BMW were still finding their feet with electric vehicles, Jaguar marched right past the pair of them and stepped straight to the front of the posh-car queue with the I-Pace. This was the brand’s first attempt at a fully electric car, and it threw everything at it.

That’s clear from the moment you prod the D button on the centre console and roll silently away. There's a huge amount of sophistication to the way the striking Jag drives – in terms of ride and handling, it really set an EV benchmark at the time, and it's one that’s taken years for many rivals to replicate. Offering up the best part of 400bhp, rapid performance is on the cards from the off, with a 0-62mph time of just 4.8 seconds. Range is strong, if not outstanding – despite a large 90kWh battery, its official range of 292 miles is hard to match in the real world. Look out for post-2020 models, which gained software tweaks to eke out a few extra miles per charge. As with most EVs, it makes most sense if you’re able to take advantage of cheap off-peak electricity tariffs when charging at home.

All of the I-Pace’s best bits can be enjoyed from a cabin that, among a back catalogue of fine interiors, is still among Jaguar’s very best work. The mix of touchscreen tech and physical controls feels just right, and then there’s the fact that it’s simply huge inside, too, especially in the rear.

The I-Pace’s achievements don’t stop there, though, because it’s really shaken up the used-car market. Second-hand values are quite astonishing – we found a range-topping HSE from 2019 with a modest 38,000 miles on the clock for just £17,295.

BUY A USED JAGUAR I-PACE NOW

2. Nissan Leaf

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The Nissan Leaf isn’t the best EV out there, but when it comes to affordable electric motoring and ready availability, there’s not much that can touch it. The Mk2 Leaf was launched at the start of 2018, and you can now buy one from just £6,000. That bags a 40kWh edition with around 150 miles of range, but we’d recommend the later (and much rarer) 62kWh battery, which can do more than 200 miles.

BUY A USED NISSAN LEAF NOW

3. Fiat 500e

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As the winner of our Best City Car category, it was inevitable that the Fiat 500e would find itself here, and of course everything said there applies here. Nicely designed inside and out, fun to drive and easy to park, the 500e is best suited to shorter journeys, but buy a 42kWh edition and you can get almost 200 miles out of it. Or for a bit more fun, how about a 500C with its roll-back canvas roof? Yours from £14k.

BUY A USED FIAT 500e NOW

4. Vauxhall Corsa-e

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When it first came out, we gave the Vauxhall Corsa-e some stick for being strongly priced for an electric supermini with modest range. However, the used market has balanced that flaw, and now it’s possible to get a Corsa-e for less cash than a petrol one of the same age – even though the EV has stronger performance. The proof? How about a 34k-mile 2021 SE Nav for £9,300 in the Auto Express classifieds?

BUY A USED VAUXHALL CORSA-E NOW

5. Hyundai Ioniq Electric

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It’s certainly a car that has flown under the radar, but while the Hyundai Ioniq was most popular with its Toyota Prius-rivalling hybrid system, it was also an impressive EV. While its battery looks tiny compared with the latest electric cars, its relative lack of weight and slippery shape resulted in superb efficiency. It's inexpensive, too. We found a 12k-mile 2021 car on Auto Express for £11,000.

BUY A USED HYUNDAI IONIQ ELECTRIC NOW

6. Tesla Model Y

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From the moment that the Tesla Model Y arrived in 2022, it became an instant hit. With all the perks of the Model 3, including performance, range and slick in-car tech, integrated into a more spacious package, it didn’t take long for customers to flock  to their local Tesla store by the thousands. The upshot is that used buyers can now get their hands on a pre-owned Model Y for a temptingly low price.

BUY A USED TESLA MODEL Y NOW

7. Tesla Model S

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Prices of Tesla’s flagship Model S continue to tumble, but the level of prestige and technology on offer remains the same. Featuring a spacious interior, sports car-rivalling performance and a range of at least 250 miles, the Model S makes a tempting choice. And that’s before you factor in the brand’s Supercharger network.

BUY A USED TESLA MODEL S NOW

8. Kia e-Niro

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The Kia e-Niro is one of the best electric cars around, and that's even more true when buying used. A range of around 280 miles is very impressive for the e-Niro, and it achieves this by being really efficient. We found that the e-Niro is one of the most efficient EVs around, making good use of its modest 64kWh battery. It even keeps consumption low on the motorway, where most EVs tend to use a lot of juice.

BUY A USED KIA e-NIRO NOW9. BMW i3

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Avant-garde looks and a high price meant the BMW i3 didn’t penetrate the market like the brand hoped it might. Yet as a used car the i3 makes lots of sense. For starters it’s good to drive, costs buttons to run and has a beautifully finished interior that’s packed with tech. What’s more, i3 owners tend to be enthusiasts who cherish their cars.

BUY A USED BMW i3 NOW10. Volkswagen e-Golf

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Manufacturers have taken one of two approaches when pitching their new EVs. Some have chosen to go radical – to produce something that looks and feels like nothing else, in order to sell the technology in a new and exciting light. And some brands choose to offer buyers something that seems familiar, in order to reassure buyers that even though the fuel comes from a plug rather than a pump, it’ll still slip into everyday life. VW has gone for the latter – it doesn’t want to alienate customers new to electrification. This approach has worked brilliantly with the e-Golf. Here’s an electric car that doesn’t shout about its zero-emission tech – only the most eagle-eyed VW fans will notice the blue highlights and aerodynamic alloys that set it apart from the standard petrols and diesels. 

BUY A USED VOLKSWAGEN e-GOLF NOW

The best used cars to buy now

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