With Tesla’s upscale line of vehicles already taking the top three slots in terms of new electric-vehicle sales, they’re also among the quickest-selling used battery-powered rides in the U.S. That’s according to days-on-sale information complied and provided to us by the automotive data and research company iSeeCars.com, based on a survey of used-car transactions from January through July 2018.
Especially with the explosion in popularity of sport-utility vehicles, it comes as little surprise that the Tesla Model X crossover spends the least amount of time sitting on a used-car dealer’s lot at an average 28.4 days. It takes an average of 46.4 days on the market to sell the typical pre-owned car. Second on the quickest-selling used-EV list is the Tesla Model S sedan at 32.4 days to find a buyer.
“The Model S is currently the only all-electric luxury car available, and its demand outstrips supply leading to scarcity in the used-car marketplace,” says iSeeCars.com CEO Phong Ly. “Those who purchase a new model have to wait at least a month for delivery while there is no wait time for a used version.”
We expect what is currently the industry’s best selling EV, the Tesla Model 3, will land on this list next year, when used versions of what is still a recently introduced sedan begin entering market. In the meantime, we’re featuring the list of the seven used electric vehicles with the quickest turnover in the accompanying slideshow.
While costlier than conventionally-powered rides when new, EV resale values tend to be lower than average, largely because of the one-time $7,500 federal tax credit granted to buyers of new models. This helps make them solid bargains in the pre-owned market. “The average price for a used late-model BMW i3 is $23,964, while a new model averages at $53,503,” Ly explains. “This nearly 55 percent price decrease provides consumers with a great deal while making it competitively priced in the luxury car segment.”
On the down side, having accounted for only a small percentage of new-vehicle sales over the last few years, used EVs are still relatively rare in the general resale market. And at that, not all battery-powered models were sold in all 50 states when new. Some were specific to California (and perhaps one or more other states) to fulfill a requirement that major automakers sell at least one zero-emissions vehicle. That’s why the Golden State boasts the most EVs in the nation, and by a wide margin. Other states in which EVs tend to be the most prevalent include Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, Vermont, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York.
Fortunately, even if used EVs are missing from dealers’ lots in your area, you can shop for a pre-owned plug-in model located anywhere in the nation here on MYEv.com. As an online marketplace dedicated to electric vehicles, MyEV.com features EV-specific search tools and detailed model descriptions of models for sale, and 100% free listings for sellers.