The used electric car market in numbers

By AutoUncle · market data up to August 2026

Here are the numbers behind the UK's used electric car market. If you're looking for a car, see all used electric cars for sale.

How we made these numbers

The numbers come from AutoUncle's own market data: used car listings we follow across UK car sites from the moment they appear until they leave the market. "Most traded" means listings that left the market, not confirmed sales. New cars and cars with 1,000 miles or less are excluded. The text was written with the help of AI, based on this data.

Used electric car prices: 13 months at a glance

The table shows the monthly median and average listing price of all used electric cars in the UK with more than 1,000 miles on the clock.

* September 2026 is incomplete – the month is not over yet.

Over 12 months the median price rose from £18,516 (Aug 2025) to £21,395 (Aug 2026) – up £2,879, or 15.5%. The average price rose by 10.0% over the same period.

That headline rise says more about which cars are on the market than about prices themselves. Prices bottomed out in March and April 2026 at around £18,500, when market activity was roughly 40–50% higher than in February. Since then the cars leaving the market have become steadily younger: the average model year went from 2022.2 (Aug 2025) to 2023.3 (Aug 2026), and August 2026 alone saw 20% more market activity than July. Compare like with like – the same model of the same model year in September 2025 and August 2026 – and the median price actually fell by 7.1%.

Mileage champions: which electric cars have covered the most miles?

Many buyers wonder how many miles an electric car can take. The table shows which models were listed with the highest mileages, based on market data from the last 12 months (September 2025–August 2026). Only models with at least 100 cars observed and a median of at least 20,000 miles are included.

The Tesla Model S is out in front: the 5% highest-mileage examples have covered more than 128,000 miles, and the median is 68,500 miles. The Tesla Model X follows with 101,570 miles for the top 5%. The Tesla Model 3 has by far the largest sample, with 20,310 cars observed – here the top 5% have passed 91,000 miles.

Two electric vans also make the list: the Nissan e-NV200 and the Mercedes EQV, whose top 5% have covered 115,000 and 94,000 miles respectively. At the budget end, the VW e-Golf has a median of 43,213 miles at an average price under £10,000.

Range for your money: the most miles of range per pound

How many pounds do you pay per mile of WLTP range? The table ranks popular used electric cars by their median listing price over the last 3 months divided by their WLTP range – the lower the figure, the more range you get for your money.

WLTP range and battery size are based on catalogue data for the most common battery version of each model. Real-world range depends on driving style, temperature and battery age.

The Renault Zoe gives by far the most range for your money at £38.97 per mile – around 239 miles of WLTP range for a median price of £9,315. Next come the Vauxhall Corsa-e (£49.74 per mile) and the MG4 EV (£51.14 per mile), the latter with a 64 kWh battery and 281 miles of WLTP range.

The most expensive per mile of range are the Mini Electric (£93.73) and the Tesla Model Y (£86.22). The Mini's small battery makes it a car built for town, while the Model Y's price reflects its size and demand rather than range alone.

Biggest price falls (September 2025 → August 2026)

Which models have lost the most value? The table compares the median price of the same model of the same model year in September 2025 and August 2026 – 11 months apart. Only combinations with at least 50 cars observed in both months are included.

Cars observed = the number of cars of that model and model year seen in September 2025 and August 2026 respectively. ⚠️ = the number more than doubled or more than halved between the two months, so the price change may partly reflect a different mix of trims and condition.

Of 117 model-year combinations with enough data, 107 fell in price and 9 rose; the median change was −7.1%. Two combinations whose volume changed more than fivefold (Vauxhall Mokka Electric 2023 and Tesla Model Y 2024) are left out, as that points to a wave of ex-lease or fleet cars rather than a genuine price trend. The steepest falls hit young premium models (BMW iX, Audi Q6 e-tron, BMW iX1 and i4), while the Jaguar I-Pace appears with four different model years.

Best value retention (September 2025 → August 2026)

Which models have held their value best? The table shows the model-year combinations whose median price rose the most – or fell the least – over the same period.

⚠️ = the number of cars observed more than doubled or more than halved between the two months. Model year 2025 is not included: in September 2025 these cars were often only a few months old, so price rises there tend to reflect a change in supply rather than genuine value retention. One combination with a rise of more than 50% was also left out as a likely change in how the model is classified.

The Hyundai Kona Electric is the steadiest performer, appearing with three model years (2021–2023), and the Kia e-Niro appears twice. Affordable, well-known models such as the Renault Zoe and the Tesla Model 3 have also held their price, even after 11 more months of use. The Jaguar I-Pace 2023 should be read with caution: every older I-Pace model year fell by 16–20% over the same period, so its rise most likely reflects a different mix of cars rather than rising values.

Electricity costs: what does 100 miles cost?

What does it cost to drive electric in the UK? The table shows the energy cost per 100 miles when charging at home, based on each model's median consumption in listings and an electricity price of 26.11p per kWh.

Efficiency is the median consumption stated in listings for each model over the last 12 months, converted to miles per kWh (1 mile = 1.609 km) – real-world consumption may differ. Electricity price: 26.11p per kWh, the Ofgem price cap unit rate for 1 July–30 September 2026 (direct debit, average for England, Scotland and Wales, incl. VAT). The standing charge is not included, as you pay it whether or not you drive electric. From 1 October 2026 the cap unit rate is 26.32p per kWh. Public rapid charging usually costs considerably more.

Between the most and least efficient models in the table there is £3.57 per 100 miles – around £270 a year at 7,500 miles.

For comparison: a petrol car doing 45 mpg costs around £17.38 per 100 miles with unleaded at 172.0p per litre – roughly two to three times as much as the electric cars in the table. Over 3 years and 22,500 miles that comes to around £3,900 in petrol, against £1,300–£2,100 in electricity.

Three-year costs: electric vs petrol

We compare four pairs of electric and petrol cars from the same brand, all from model year 2022. The value change is observed in our market data for the same model of the same model year between September 2025 and August 2026 (11 months) and converted to an annual rate. All calculations assume 7,500 miles a year, electricity at 26.11p per kWh, unleaded petrol at 172.0p per litre, and servicing at £280 (electric) or £600 (petrol) a year. Consumption figures come from listings. Not included: insurance, Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax, which electric cars have also paid since April 2025), tyres and financing.

Small SUV: Vauxhall Mokka Electric 2022 vs Mokka petrol 2022

The Mokka Electric is listed £1,095 below its petrol twin and has lost value at half the rate. Add the savings on energy and servicing, and it comes out around £5,900 cheaper over 3 years.

Budget SUV: MG ZS EV 2022 vs MG ZS petrol 2022

This is the closest contest. The petrol ZS has held its value better, and the ZS EV loses around £1,600 more over 3 years. It still wins overall because it saves around £3,500 on energy and servicing – leaving it roughly £1,900 cheaper.

Crossover: Hyundai Kona Electric 2022 vs Kona petrol 2022

⚠️ Kona petrol 2022: only 72 cars observed in September 2025 (115 in August 2026) – fewer than the 100 we would like, so its value change is less certain.

Same model, same model year: the Kona Electric is listed £1,355 higher but is around £6,300 cheaper over 3 years. It did not lose value during the period we measured (+1.1%), so we have held its future value at today's level rather than projecting a rise. That makes this result particularly uncertain.

Family SUV: VW ID.4 2022 vs VW Tiguan petrol 2022

The ID.4 is listed £3,399 below a Tiguan of the same age, loses value slightly more slowly and costs far less to run. Over 3 years it comes out around £5,200 cheaper.

Overview: observed value change

Annual value change = change in median listing price from September 2025 to August 2026 (11 months), converted to 12 months. Projecting it 3 years ahead is an extrapolation, not a guarantee – rates can change.

Cost per mile over 3 years (value loss, energy and servicing only):

In all four pairs the electric car is cheaper over 3 years, by around £1,900 to £6,300. Energy makes the biggest difference: with unleaded at 172.0p per litre, petrol costs 2.3 to 2.8 times as much per 100 miles as home charging in these four pairs. Value change is a mixed picture – the Mokka Electric, Kona Electric and ID.4 held their value better than their petrol counterparts, while the petrol MG ZS held its value better than the ZS EV.

Two caveats: the price of unleaded rose sharply in September 2026, from 161.6p per litre at the end of August to 172.0p, and our calculation assumes you charge at home at the price cap rate – drivers who rely on public rapid chargers will see much of the advantage disappear. Value changes were also measured over a period in which used electric car prices fell by around 7% for the same model and model year. If fuel prices ease or the used market shifts, the gap will narrow.

Source: AutoUncle.co.uk – market data up to and including August 2026, energy prices September 2026. Last updated 24 September 2026.