By FREDA LEWIS-STEMPEL, MOTORING REPORTER
I want to buy a used compact EV for under £10,000. It needs to have a decent range but I don't want a Tesla.
I need to be able to travel at least 200 miles between charges and I have no brand affiliation, so am open minded about all other manufacturers.
It too needs to be spacious enough for my husband, who is taller than average and often struggles with comfort in cars.
But we also don't want a huge SUV that we'll struggle to park. Can you help? Sally, Essex
Freda Lewis-Stempel is our resident EV expert and has driven just about every electric car on the market
Freda Lewis-Stempel, Daily Mail and This is Money motoring reporter, replies: Electric cars have earned themselves a reputation for being expensive to buy brand new and then suffering a big drop in value.
This is bad news for the first owner, who can end up taking a big financial hit, but great news for those who would prefer to buy second hand and can pick up an EV for a fraction of its showroom price.
Motor industry experts recently told us that now may be the best time ever to buy a used electric car, as sharp depreciation means prices have hit rock bottom.
For example, a Skoda Enyaq electric car with a £38,945 brand new list price in November 2024 could be picked up for £21,950 at the end of November 2025, according to motoring data specialist Solera Cap HPI.
You would have saved 44 per cent on its original price, as long as you were willing to accept a one-year-old car with 10,000 miles on the clock.
Buying a used EV can be a very smart decision because you'll skip the most punishing depreciation period for electric cars. This occurs in the first 12 months and tends to see around 30 to 50 per cent of the new value disappear, depending on the car.
This is a consequence of both a lack of demand for used cars and an increase in market availability, as more electric cars enter the used space at the end of finance and lease contracts.
What it isn't is a reflection of the quality of the vehicles. This has come on in leaps and bounds over recent years, as the better selection of new EVs filters down to the used market.
I have driven most of the electric cars that you can currently buy new or used. The current crop of EVs on offer second hand are capable, full of tech, comfortable, reliable and - most importantly - offer good ranges.
With your budget of £10,000, you'll easily find an EV with an adequate range for your needs that's between three and five years old.
There are a lot of what's known as crossover models on the market that can cater for your husband's frame, these are higher-riding cars that aren't as big as a full-on SUV.
But even small EVs tend to be on the larger side these days, so space shouldn't be too much of an issue. Just make sure you make sure you and your husband are properly comfortable in a car before committing to buy.
Meanwhile, the range you require is relatively standard for battery cars of this age, especially for larger city cars or small SUVs/crossovers.
The fact that you're open minded to brands - except one very popular EV maker - means you'll have plenty of choice. Although it should be noted that by shunning Tesla, you are missing out on some very good electric cars.
There are a few things I would suggest that you need to look out for.
Firstly, your budget limit will mean the EVs on offer tend to have higher mileage.
While this isn't a problem for wear and tear - as used EVs can have hundreds of thousands of miles on the clock but retain more than 80 per cent of their original battery capacity and range - it can mean they are over the manufacturer battery warranty mileage or that their age is close to the warranty ceiling.
There are ways around this though, and you can still find EVs with at least a few years of manufacturer warranty to play with. Used warranties are also available on the market, which are worth investigating. You can compare prices through the This is Money Motoring Club.
With the help of Autotrader, I scoured the second-hand market to find five examples of used EVs that would fit the bill.
Used price: £9,500
The VW ID.3 is a very popular small EV as it is smart and comes with a premium badge. Autotrader has some on the website for under £10k but they tend to have higher mileage
The ID.3 has already sold over 500,000 examples globally since it launched. It arrived in the UK in September 2020, and has proved to be a very popular small, smart EV.
It's known for having ample legroom for passengers and a decent 385-litre boot.
An example on Autotrader that I found is a Pro Performance Life ID.3 with a 58kWh battery, which, when new, had a claimed 260 miles of range. It's advertised for £9,500.
This 2020 car has 98,000 miles on the clock, which might sound a lot and - according to Autotrader - is 60,000 miles more than the average five-year-old ID.3.
However, even with this mileage, the battery is still - just - under warranty...
VW warranty - how covered is your EV?
A new ID.3 comes with a standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty and an eight-year/100,000-mile high-voltage battery warranty, which guarantees at least 70 per cent of its original capacity.
This means you could have the battery checked by VW to ensure it reaches the minimum battery performance requirement - and have it replaced if not.
That said, a recent test in Germany suggested the ID.3 battery still performs very strongly, even after covering over 100,000 miles.
ADAC - Germany's equivalent to the AA - and its team of vehicle accessors have been extensively using an ID.3 for the last four years.
In that time, it clocked 107,000 miles. As such, it has now exceeded the 77kWh high-voltage battery's 100,000-mile warranty.
Analysing the battery's health and found it has declined nine per cent – an average of 2.25 per cent annually. This has translated to a loss of just eight miles for its measured full-charge range.
And despite covering more than 100,000 miles, it has undergone just two scheduled services costing a total of €427 (£370), of which almost half was to re-gas the air conditioning system - something that needs to be done to petrol and diesel models too.
All Volkswagen electric ID models have two-year service intervals, irrespective of the mileage. This is due to the fewer moving mechanical parts.
The Kia Soul EV is now discontinued so there are some bargains to be had. Range is good - 280 miles - for a small EV and the Soul has a surprisingly spacious interior
Used price: £8,599
South Korean brand Kia has become a leader in EVs, and its Soul was one of the first mass-market EVs, launching in the UK in 2014.
Distinctively styled, the compact crossover has good range - 280 miles - for a small EV and a surprisingly spacious interior.
Its boxy proportions also means there's loads of headroom and is suitable for anyone up to 6ft7.
After three generations, it's now being discontinued in the UK this year to make way for the Kia EV3. So, it could be the perfect time to snap up a used Soul bargain.
Autotrader has an example Soul EV on its website for £8,599, with 109,000 miles on the clock. The 2020 reg is a First Edition trim with a 64kWh battery.
Kia warranty - how covered is your EV?
Kia has a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty plan and a separate eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery pack as long as it has at least 70 per cent of its original capacity.
This means the model listed is outside of its warranty period. If you were to take out an extended used warranty - covering the vehicle and battery up to 150,000 miles - it would cost an extra £48 a month with a voluntary contribution of £250 towards any claims.
The Kia e-Niro has been a popular, affordable EV since it launched in 2019. Kia has a standard 7-year warrant and a separate 8-year/100,000 miles battery warranty
Used price: £6,495
As we've said, Kia has become renowned for its quality EVs, and the Niro is one of its most absolute best - and most popular - battery models.
It's always been a relatively affordable EV, and thanks to its practicality, a family-friendly electric option.
It launched in 2019, setting new standards for range, performance and easy driving. The second generation arrived in 2022 and continues to be a huge success.
Being a crossover, it's really spacious and offers ample head and shoulder space in the front. Your husband shouldn't have any complaints.
It's a solid buy no matter the year, and Autotrader has more than 10 examples under £10,000 currently on its site, and there's one model that's only £6,495.
The Kona is a rival to the Kia e-Niro. The Kona might be a compact electric SUV but it has great range - just under 300 miles - and lots of practicality
Used price: £9,999
The Konda launched in 2018 and quickly became one of Hyundai's best-selling EVs in Europe.
The SUV arrived with 292 miles of range, and the first generation remained a very popular buy from 2018 to 2021.
This was largely due to its price; the Kona EV ranged from £30,450 to £37,900 and provided a lot for that price point.
The Kona is now in its second generation (revealed in 2022) and has continued to be immensely popular.
While it might not look it in images, the Kona is relatively wide and tall for a crossover. Interior space shouldn't be a complaint raised here.
Options on Autotrader include a 2019 64kWh Premium SE model with 69,200 miles on the clocks and 12 months of EV warranty for £9,999.
There are multiple options with mileage around this point for under £10k, from both dealers and private sellers.
Hyundai warranty - how covered is your EV?
Hyundai offers a warranty for the five years from the date of first registration, and the mileage is unlimited.
High-performance high-voltage batteries are separately warranty-protected for eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Newer versions of the Vauxhall Corsa Electric, formerly the Corsa-e have up to 266 miles of range and it's a good choice if you want a used EV that's the electric equivalent of a car you already know
Used price: £7,000
The Vauxhall Corsa Electric is probably one of the most well-known EVs. The electric equivalent to the ever-popular Corsa hatchback, it's an easy transition electric car for people who want their first EV to be a make and model they know well.
Originally the Corsa-e and now simply called the Corsa Electric, the hatchback EV debuted in 2019.
Initially it had a modest 209-mile range but this has grown to a healthier 266 miles over the years and has had a post-2023 facelift.
Easy to drive, familiar and very efficient, it's a great buy especially for anyone getting their first used EV.
While it will be the most cramped of the five options for your husband, it's still one of the larger superminis and is more spacious than its compact dimensions suggest. This is particularly the case up front, where there's decent levels of head and elbow rooms, so it could be an adequate fit.
There are various examples with relatively low mileage for well under £10k, all of them capable of covering 200 miles.
Vauxhall warranty - how covered is your EV?
Vauxhall new cars are only covered by a three-year (from the date of registration) warranty. Mileage is unlimited in the first year and then capped at 60,000 miles in the second and third year.
Vauxhall EVs are covered by an additional warranty for the battery which guarantees that at least 70 per cent of its capacity is maintained for 100,000 miles, or eight years.
The examples I've found for sale are all under five years old and have done half the mileage allowance for the warranty, so should be covered for another three years.
Is it ok to buy a used EV? Despite worries EV batteries typically last 10 to 15 years, or over 150,000 miles. Many manufacturers offer warranties of seven or eight-years/100,000 miles
Marc Palmer, Autotrader's head of strategy and insights, responds: 'The used electric car market has reached a real tipping point. We’re seeing more choice, better value and much quicker sales as confidence grows among buyers.
'There are currently 1,258 used EVs on sale for under £10,000 on Autotrader, and two in five electric cars on the platform are now below the £20,000 mark.
'Electric models are also selling faster than ever, averaging just 23 days to sell, the quickest across all fuel types.
'Buyers have clearly found their sweet spot with three- to five-year-old EVs,' Palmer, adds.
'They offer strong value, plenty of range, and more competitive pricing than ever, with average prices now almost level with petrol cars of the same age. For drivers looking to make the switch affordably, it’s a really exciting time.'
Electrifying.com founder and chief exec Ginny Buckley says dealers should offer battery health checks on used EVs to give buyers peace of mind
Ginny Buckley, chief executive of Electrifying.com, the electric car buying and advice site advises: 'Nearly all brands offer eight year or 100,000-mile cover for the battery though, but check the small print to make sure this is still valid.
'Many dealers will now offer a battery health check on a used EV too, which will show you how much of the original capacity remains and give you extra peace of mind.
'If you are considering a Renault Zoe or Nissan Leaf, make sure the car isn’t a linked to a battery lease - this will make the purchase price cheaper, but you will need to pay an ongoing monthly rental for the battery. It makes the car very difficult to sell on.
'Otherwise, the advice is the same as for any used car, so check the history and condition carefully.'
Three quarters of UK drivers have serious concerns about purchasing a second-hand EV, with the biggest issue being the remaining life of the battery
Steve Fowler, co-founder of car review site carblah, says: 'Buying a used EV needn’t be that different to buying any used car – condition and history is key.
'Any seller should know plenty about the car they’re selling, while the buyer should ask lots of questions about service history and maintenance, and consider a history check, you can also check a car’s MoT record online, too.
'There are plenty of tools available today that can give you a steer on the health of the battery, but in my experience battery degradation is much less than you might expect.
'Making sure the car has a warranty is always worthwhile and you don’t have to buy one from your dealer; online warranty company Warrantywise has an excellent reputation and may well offer better cover for less money than a dealer’s warranty where the dealer will be making a cut.'
ClearWatt's EV Check Plus shares insight into three areas: Range and Performance, Practicality and Ownership and Vehicle History and Legal
Freda says: These days you can purchase a used electric car battery health check certificate from a number of independent providers.
They give a real-world view of how healthy your battery is, to see how much usable life is left in it, how it has been used, how it performs under load and charging performance - as well as many other data points.
Some providers, like EV retailer Car360 will supply the used EV with the certificate, while other battery health check providers such as Clear Watt are self-service mobile apps that use telematics, connect car data and connected chargers to measure key battery indicators - you just drive as normal and the app runs in the background.
These checks are becoming increasingly popular for promoting transparency and confidence in the used EV market.
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