Six important things to consider before buying a used EV.
Buying a used EV can be a great way to get yourself familiar with electric vehicles. While you can enjoy the same perks whether with a new or used EV, be like lower energy and maintenance costs, special EV lanes, instant heat in winter, and a great driving experience. In fact, many new EVs depreciate much faster than their gasoline counterparts, which makes buying a used EV very appealing for car shoppers.
Today’s battery technology is improving rapidly, and automakers upgrade their EVs every year. It’s important to understand how to choose a used EV that fits your budget and lifestyle. Here are a few things you need to consider before buying a used EV.
For a used EV, the batter age will affect how far you are able to drive. Battery degradation might be a problem for buying a used EV. Since lithium-ion batteries tend to degrade over time. The more a battery degrades, it can hold less charge, your battery range could be affected as a result. Although you should be able to access the info on how much degradation has occurred before buying, a used EV’s battery degrades based on a number of factors. That includes the operating temperature, the way the battery charges, or overcharging, you can’t really know all these factors just by checking the car. In addition, not all EV batteries are the same, some automakers make better batteries than others. Take Tesla as an example, its batteries still can hold more than 90% of their full capacity after driving 320,000 kilometers, which means the battery degradation is less an issue if you go with a used Tesla.
Think about the weather factor, as cold or hot weather has a negative effect on battery life. The best temperature range for electric-car batteries is at around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, extreme heat or extreme cold can reduce the range. In Canada, where we have a long winter in most of the provinces, electric vehicles batteries are less effective and have a shorter range during the cold weather.
Whether you go with a new or used EV, you will absolutely need a charging station for recharge. You may use public chargers if your location allows you to do so, or plug your EV directly into a wall outlet which will take significantly longer to recharge. These aren’t the most convenient options or it takes longer to recharge time. While the public chargers aren’t as common as gas stations, you need to decide if you need to install a charger at home.
Some EVs can travel as far as 600 km on a single charge, while others may have a much shorter distance range. You will need to decide the range you really need. How often do you drive for long-distance trips? Are your daily trips require long ranges?
Another important factor to consider is your driving style. For example, you will use less energy if you accelerate gently. Keep in mind that your driving style will affect the batter range directly.
There are more and more used EVs available on the market. Buying a used EV from a dealership or privately are both worth looking into. You can try to find a vehicle that still has a valid manufacturer’s warranty if your budget allows it.
Here comes another important question: is this used EV your only car? EVs are not the same as gasoline cars, you cannot travel with an EV with a depleted battery. In other words, your EV takes time to charge, that’s the constraint for all EV owners, regardless of new or used EV.
If this used EV is your second car, you will have the flexibility to drive with your other car and it would be less worrisome.
In the end, buying an EV, whether it’s new or used, should make your life easier, and not harder. Buying a used EV is not as difficult as you think, as long as you think about the factors we discussed above and choose the one that works for your lifestyle.
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