1. Choose an Electric Car That Fits Your Needs
Electric cars come in all sizes, specs, and price levels. When choosing the right EV, you should consider at least range, size, and budget.
Range: Consider how much you are going to drive on a daily basis. This will inform you about how much range is enough. The average daily commute for an American is 41 miles round trip. Most electric cars come with 200 to 300 miles of range with newer models reaching over 300 miles. This means that most electric cars provide sufficient range for the average household’s needs. If you drive closer to 100 miles a day, we recommend looking at the over 300 mile long range models.
Size: Just like any personal vehicle, an electric car should provide you with the sufficient room for your every day needs. Typically, electric cars come with slightly more passenger and cargo space compared to similar combustion engine cars. Families may still want to opt for larger SUVs or trucks. Here are some of our favorites:
- Smaller Hatchback EVs: Chevrolet Bolt EV, Nissan LEAF, BMW i3, Mini Cooper SE
- Sedan or Coupe EVs: Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model S, Polestar 1, Polestar 2, BMW i4, Hyundai IONIQ 6
- Small SUV or Crossover EVs: Chevrolet Bolt EUV, Hyundai Kona, Nissan Ariya, Kia Niro, Volvo XC40 Recharge
- Mid-sized SUV EVs: Tesla Model Y, Ford Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4, Audi Q4 e-tron, Kia EV6, Hyundai IONIQ 5
- Large SUV EVs: Tesla Model X, BMW iX, Rivian R1S, Audi e-tron
- Truck EVs: Rivian R1T, Ford F-150 Lightning
Budget & Tax credits: There are plenty of electric cars available at different price levels, from $20,000 smaller models to over $100,000 luxury models. Typical pre-owned electric car prices range between $20,000 and $50,000. For example, pre-owned Tesla Model 3 Standard Range sells for $25,000 to $35,000 in March 2023. Be sure to set a budget for yourself and read about the federal and local EV incentives. From January 1st, 2023 onwards, there are new federal tax credits for used electric vehicles.
If you want to go beyond the basic considerations, you may want to look at driving performance, charging speed, energy efficiency, costs of ownership, and your personal preferences over different exteriors, interiors, and infotainment systems.
You don’t have to care too much about compatibility with different chargers. Even the Tesla charging network is opening for other makes.
2. Buy from Electric Car Experts
Just like pre-owned gasoline and diesel cars, you should buy pre-owned electric cars from trustworthy sellers and have the cars inspected. As only 1% of cars in the US are electric, your regular dealership may not have the expertise or interest to treat EVs as they should.
To be sure, you can shop at electric car experts, such as Ever, who focus solely on buying and selling electric cars. These premium electric car retailers run appropriate battery health checks and inspect the car’s EV-specific features. Shopping at an electric car retailer will also provide you with the appropriate help and support.
3. Review Battery Health Report
If you buy from an electric car expert, such as Ever, you will get an estimate of the car’s battery health. Battery is the most expensive part of an electric car and degrades over time. It is important to review the estimated battery health and how this is likely to develop over time.
It may feel tempting to focus on the vehicle's mileage but it's good to remember that odometer readings are less relevant for electric cars. An electric car’s ownership and usage history may affect its battery degradation significantly, regardless of how many miles the car has been driven.
4. Review Maintenance and Accident History
Electric cars are no different from gasoline and diesel cars in this respect. You should always review electric vehicles’ maintenance history and see if there are any signs of accidents. Overall, electric cars tend to require less maintenance than your average combustion engine cars. This means that, on average, electric cars last time better than gasoline and diesel cars.
5. Review Remaining Vehicle and Battery Warranties
Typically, new electric cars come with 4 year or 50,000 mile limited vehicle warranties provided by the manufacturer (so called “bumper-to-bumper” warranties). Additionally, most electric car manufacturers provide 8/10 year or 100k/120k mile battery and drive unit warranties. Making sure there is at least some warranty left when you buy a pre-owned EV may save you from significant costs.
If needed, you may purchase extended EV warranties or service contracts to complement the manufacturer warranties. Shopping at electric car experts will make these warranty and service contract purchases easy.
