EV Guides

Buy a used electric car with confidence

The battery is the most expensive part of any used EV, and the one you can't see. These guides explain what to check, what's normal, and how to read a car's real battery health and range before you buy.

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Buying a Used Electric Car: The Complete Guide

The complete guide to buying a used electric car in the UK, battery health, real-world range, warranty, charging, running costs and the checks to run before you pay.

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Battery & Range

What's inside the battery decides the car

The health of the battery decides a used EV's value. These guides explain what to check and what's normal.

Battery & Range

How to check EV battery health

How to check an electric car's battery health before you buy, what a battery health grade means, how to read real-world range now vs when new, and how to check it from just the registration.

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Battery & Range

EV battery degradation

How much do EV batteries really degrade? What a normal degradation rate looks like by age and mileage, the warning signs of a tired pack, and how to estimate a used EV's degradation before you buy.

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Battery & Range

Battery State of Health (SoH)

State of Health (SoH) is the single number that tells you how much life is left in a used EV's battery. Here's exactly what it means and how to read it.

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Battery & Range

Real-world EV range

WLTP range vs the range a used EV actually delivers. Why the advert figure is optimistic, how much range a second-hand EV loses with age and cold, and how to check the real-world range now.

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Battery & Range

EV battery warranty

How electric car battery warranties work, the typical 8-year/100,000-mile capacity cover, what triggers a claim, how much transfers to you, and how to check the warranty remaining on a used EV.

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Battery & Range

Why EVs lose range

Why a used electric car does fewer miles than it used to, battery ageing, high mileage, rapid charging, cold weather and driving style, plus how long EV batteries last and what you can control.

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Battery & Range

Longest-range used EVs

The longest-range used electric cars on the UK market, ranked by official WLTP figures with real-world estimates, and how to check what a specific car still delivers.

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Battery & Range

Warranty by manufacturer

Compare EV battery warranties across every major UK brand: years, mileage, capacity thresholds and transfer rules, so you know what's left on a used EV.

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Battery & Range

Battery health & resale value

Battery State of Health is now the biggest factor in what a used EV sells for, ahead of mileage and age. Here's how it's priced, and how to protect yours.

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Battery & Range

EV battery replacement cost

How much does it actually cost to replace an EV battery, and how likely is it? Honest UK figures by model, plus the repair options most guides never mention.

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Battery & Range

What voids the warranty

What actually voids an electric car's battery warranty, and the common worries that don't. Covers exclusions, fast charging myths and independent servicing.

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Battery & Range

Warranty vs battery health

Still under warranty doesn't mean healthy battery. Here's why a used EV can be fully covered and still have lost a third of its range, with no claim available.

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Battery & Range

How long batteries last

Real data from tens of thousands of EVs: how long batteries actually last, how fast they degrade, and how often they genuinely need replacing.

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Buying a Used EV

Shop for a second-hand EV like you've done it before

Confidence-first guides for anyone shopping for a second-hand electric car.

Buying a Used EV

Used EV buying checklist

A 10-point checklist for buying a used electric car: battery health, real-world range, warranty remaining, MOT and mileage history, charging and the paperwork to see before you hand over any money.

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Buying a Used EV

Is it safe to buy a used EV?

Is it safe to buy a used electric car? How reliable second-hand EVs really are, whether the battery will fail, what a used EV costs to run and own, and the one check that removes most of the risk.

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Owning & Running an EV

Know what it costs before you commit

What an electric car really costs and what living with one is like, from charging and servicing to insurance and tyres.

Owning & Running an EV

Electric car running costs

What an EV actually costs to run in the UK: charging, servicing, insurance, tax and tyres, with honest figures and the costs most guides leave out.

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Owning & Running an EV

EV jargon glossary

Every EV term you’ll run into when buying used, explained simply. SoH, kWh, CCS, regen, LFP, WLTP and the rest, without the sales speak.

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Owning & Running an EV

Fast vs slow charging

Does rapid charging damage your EV battery? What the data says, how much difference it really makes, and when it’s worth using slow charging instead.

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Model guides

See all models →

EV Model Guides

Typical battery, range and warranty by model, plus the used-buyer watch-outs for each.

Nissan Leaf

Hatchback · 2011-present

Buy a used electric car with confidence

Buying a Used Electric Car: The Complete Guide

What's inside the battery decides the car

How to check EV battery health

EV battery degradation

Battery State of Health (SoH)

Real-world EV range

EV battery warranty

Why EVs lose range

Longest-range used EVs

Warranty by manufacturer

Battery health & resale value

EV battery replacement cost

What voids the warranty

Warranty vs battery health

How long batteries last

Shop for a second-hand EV like you've done it before

Used EV buying checklist

Is it safe to buy a used EV?

Know what it costs before you commit

Electric car running costs

EV jargon glossary

Fast vs slow charging

EV Model Guides

Nissan Leaf

Tesla Model 3

Renault Zoe

Volkswagen ID.3

Kia e-Niro

Jaguar I-Pace

BMW i3

MG ZS EV

Hyundai Kona Electric

Polestar 2

Tesla Model S

Vauxhall Corsa-e

Peugeot e-208

Fiat 500e

Tesla Model Y

MINI Electric

Volkswagen ID.4

Audi e-tron

Volkswagen e-Golf

Hyundai Ioniq Electric

MG4 EV

Skoda Enyaq

Mercedes-Benz EQC

Vauxhall Mokka Electric

Ford Mustang Mach-E

Kia Soul EV

Kia EV6

Hyundai Ioniq 5

Volvo XC40 Recharge

Cupra Born

Citroën e-C4

MG5 EV

Volkswagen e-Up

Honda e

Mazda MX-30

Smart EQ ForTwo

DS 3 E-Tense

Lexus UX 300e

BMW i4

BMW iX3

Porsche Taycan

Renault Mégane E-Tech

Nissan Ariya

Tesla Model X

Mercedes-Benz EQA

Jeep Avenger

Volkswagen ID.7

Volkswagen ID. Buzz

Audi Q4 e-tron

Volvo EX30

Volvo C40 Recharge

Kia EV9

Hyundai Ioniq 6

BMW iX

BMW i5

Mercedes-Benz EQB