Best used electric cars

15 January 2021
Updated: 29 June 2022

Used electric cars are a great buy whether you’re looking to reduce ownership costs, lighten your environmental impact, or both. You have more models to choose from than ever before, ranging from city runabouts to family SUVs, so now may be the time to decide to ‘go electric’. You could save a lot of money by not needing petrol or diesel, they’re exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty (car tax) and the low-emission-zone fees charged by many cities.

We’re focusing here on pure-electric cars, but if you think a plug-in hybrid might better suit your lifestyle, discover what we think are the best used plug-in hybrid cars here. If you’d rather look at the latest and best new electric cars, we’ve got a guide for those too.

Without further ado, here are our top 10 used electric cars.

The Renault Zoe is everything a French supermini should be – small, practical, affordable and fun to drive. It also just happens to be an electric car and has been sold since 2013, so there’s a good selection of used models to choose from.

Earlier models have a battery range of up to 130 miles on a full charge, while the newer version (pictured), built from 2020, has a range of up to 247 miles. With some older versions, you may need to pay a separate leasing fee (of between £49 and £110 per month) for the battery.

Whichever version you choose, the Zoe is excellent value for money. It’s also surprisingly spacious, with good legroom and a large boot for a car this size. To top it all it’s enjoyable to drive, with nippy acceleration and a smooth ride.

Read our Renault Zoe review

Its futuristic looks make the BMW i3 one of the most distinctive electric cars around. It’s one of the best too, offering excellent performance and an interior that combines sleek minimalist design with a high-quality feel. The rear-hinged back doors offer good access to the five-seat interior and every version is well equipped.

Battery range for early i3 models varies from 81 miles in cars made before 2016 to 115 miles for cars built between 2016 and 2018. An i3 REx (range-extender) model was also sold until 2018, with a small petrol engine that can top up the battery when its charge runs low, giving you a range of up to 200 miles. The updated i3 (launched in 2018) gained a longer battery range of up to 193 miles, and a new ‘S’ version with a sportier look and feel.

Read our BMW i3 review

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It’s easy to see why the Kia Soul EV is one of the most popular used electric cars – it’s stylish, practical and excellent value for money.

We’re focusing on the first-generation Soul EV, which was sold new from 2015 until 2020. The all-new version launched in 2020 has a much longer range but it’ll cost you a lot more and used versions are few and far between for now.

Stick with the pre-2020 model and you get a pure electric hatchback with smart SUV looks, a spacious interior and an official maximum battery range of up to 132 miles. You get a lot of standard features for your money too, including climate control, keyless entry, sat nav and a reversing camera.

The Hyundai Kona Electric is a car that should tick a lot of boxes for a lot of people – it’s a compact, good-looking SUV that’s cost-effective, well-equipped and gives you zero-emission travel.

It’s an excellent used buy that gives you as much battery range as many brand-new models, with an official range of between 180 to 279 miles, depending on which of the two models you choose. Both are zippy around town and more than able to deal with motorways.

The Kona’s simple dashboard is easy to use, while its interior is solid and roomy enough for four adults and their luggage. You’ll also find used Konas with petrol, diesel and hybrid power but the electric version is the one to go for if you want to keep your running costs lower and your environmental footprint to a minimum.

Read our Hyundai Kona review

The Nissan Leaf is the electric car many people think of first. And for good reason – the Leaf has been around since 2011 and until late 2019 it was the world’s biggest-selling electric car.

Earlier Leafs are among the least expensive electric cars to buy used – a fine choice if you want a family-friendly car that requires little or no compromise if you’re switching from a petrol or diesel car. These versions have an official maximum battery range of between 124 and 155 miles, depending on which model you pick.

An all-new Leaf was launched in 2018. You can tell it apart from the previous model by its extra black trim around the front, back and roof. Although you’ll pay more for a post-2018 Leaf, these models have a more premium feel, more inside space and an official maximum range of between 168 and 239 miles, depending on the model.

Read our Nissan Leaf review

If you want maximum battery range for your money it’s hard to look beyond the Kia e-Niro. With an official figure of up to 282 miles between charges, chances are you’ll be able to avoid ‘range anxiety’ altogether.

The e-Niro has plenty more to recommend it, too. It’s smooth and enjoyable to drive, for starters, and since it’s only been around since 2019 you can enjoy the majority of Kia’s market-leading seven-year warranty if you buy a used one.

Every version is very well equipped, too, with sat nav and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The interior has a high-quality feel and is spacious enough to make it a proper family car, with lots of headroom and legroom and a huge (451-litre) boot.

Torn between the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia e-Niro? Read our guide comparing the two here.

You’ll find lots of used Hyundai Ioniq cars available and in addition to the pure-electric version we’re focusing on, there are hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions. You have to look closely to tell the Ioniq Electric apart (the biggest clue is the silver-coloured front grille), but go for a drive and the difference is clear, due to the electric car’s extremely quiet motor and excellent acceleration.

With an official range of up to 193 miles for newer versions, the Hyundai Ioniq Electric is capable of more than just urban commuting and it’s a relaxing car to drive on any road.

The interior has enough space for most families and feels well built, while the dashboard is straightforward and the infotainment system (which includes sat nav and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard) is easy to use.

Add in the fact that most used Ioniq Electrics still have some of their original five-year warranty left to run and this becomes an electric car that should fit effortlessly into your life.

Read our Hyundai Ioniq review

The Volkswagen Golf is the go-to, do-it-all hatchback for many drivers and that’s also true for the e-Golf that was on sale new between 2014 and 2020. It looks much the same as other Golf models, both inside and out. On a full charge, the official battery range is up to 119 miles, so it’s ideal for commuting and school runs. The driving experience, as with every Golf, is smooth and comfortable.

Inside, you could be sitting in any Golf and that’s good news because it’s as user-friendly and classy as family car interiors come. There’s a good amount of space, while standard features include sat nav and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Jaguar I-Pace, Jaguar’s first electric car, gives you all the luxury and sportiness you expect from the brand along with thrilling performance, zero emissions and sleek, futuristic styling. It’s a very impressive debut.

Few electric cars are as enjoyable to drive as the I-Pace. It can accelerate quicker than many sports cars and it’s responsive and agile for such a big car. It’s smooth and comfortable too, while standard four-wheel drive provides reassurance in slippery conditions.

The interior is very spacious and mixes high-tech features with luxurious materials, while the maximum official battery range is almost 300 miles.

Read our Jaguar I-Pace review

No brand has done more than Tesla to make electric cars desirable. Its first mainstream car – the Model S – remains one of the most advanced and coveted cars on the road despite the fact that it went on sale back in 2014.

It helps that Tesla has installed its own fast-charging network at service stations all over the UK, which means you can recharge the battery of a Model S from empty to almost full in less than an hour. Opt for the Long Range model and you can cover between 370 and 405 miles per charge depending on the age of the car. The Model S is also astoundingly quick when you put your foot down thanks to its powerful electric motor.

You get a vast amount of cabin space (with up to seven seats), while the minimalist interior and huge centre touchscreen look as cutting-edge now as they did when the car was launched.

There are lots of great-value used electric cars for sale at Cazoo. Simply use the search function to find one you love then buy or finance it online. You can choose to have it delivered to your door, or you can collect it from your nearest Cazoo Customer Centre.

You may want to consider buying a home charger, such as the Easee One.

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