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related: is there any second hand market for electric car ? knowing that the battery is a consumable ? I'm able to buy a very good used car for 5-10k€, I'm afr

related: is there any second hand market for electric car ? knowing that the battery is a consumable ? I'm able to buy a very good used car for 5-10k€, I'm afraid I will never be able to afford an e-car without second hand market

ceejayoz 3y ago
There are quite a few Teslas available in my area that are a couple years old; presumably, 2-3 year leases ending. Their batteries are likely to be in pretty good condition, and if you buy them from Tesla there's a warranty.
shmatt 3y ago
That 5000 euro car is going to need a lot more maintenance than a used electric car
- catmanjan 3y ago
  Until mechanics are willing to replace individual cells in a battery pack there is the looming risk of a very high cost repair...
- kalleboo 3y ago
  I'll need more frequent, but far cheaper maintenance. The current electric cars are all overengineered luxury cars in order to hit a profit margin and are extremely expensive to repair many normally minor faults. It's fine if you're the original owner under a warranty but a second hand buyer beware. Theoretically electric cars should be super simple and reliable and have very cheap repairs, but those cars aren't being made by anyone today (maybe the Nissan Leaf?)
bryanlarsen 3y ago
You'll likely never be able to buy an electric car for much under $5k, because it'll have a scrap value of $3-$5k. $5k-$10k implies a >10 year old car and EV's only started shipping in good volume in the last year or two.
- hiddencost 3y ago
  European cars are much smaller frequently. Getting something akin to a Fiat Panda may be more realistic.
  - Rinzler89 3y ago
    >Getting something akin to a Fiat Panda may be more realistic. The range of an electric Fiat Panda will be complete shit compared to it's ICE equivalent. Source: An owner of a cheap used Panda I use to travel across Europe every summer.
greenthrow 3y ago
Engines, transmissions and differentials are all consumables too, and require far more maintenance than a battery. When the battery in an EV has too much degradation to stay in the EV, it can still be used for stationary storage. The main thint driving EV depreciation right now, and this will likely continue for some time, is how quickly the technology is improving.
gandalfian 3y ago
€ so european? A Nissan leaf can be €5000 but will probably only do 70 miles to a charge. A Corsa-e knock off Peugeot, 4 years old can be €10,000 just. I think they will get cheaper.
Cthulhu_ 3y ago
Yes, or, there will be; the numbers are coming in from 10 year old EVs / cars that have done >600K kilometers and the batteries seem fine. Mind you, these are mainly teslas. Second, there is an influx starting of secondhand electric cars as the first adopters of electric lease cars have their contracts expiring / getting a new car, leading the lease car companies to sell the cars on. It's a gradual process but it's happening.
constantcrying 3y ago
The second hand market for EVs has the problem that the price for a car will never be below the value of the battery. So unless battery technology significantly improves the cost per performance ratio usable used EVs won't fall below a certain price point. China is making EVs for ridiculous low prices, which is mainly due to the dramatic race to bankrupt the competition, before you yourself go bankrupt, that is happening on the Chinese domestic market.

ceejayoz 3y ago

There are quite a few Teslas available in my area that are a couple years old; presumably, 2-3 year leases ending. Their batteries are likely to be in pretty good condition, and if you buy them from Tesla there's a warranty.

shmatt 3y ago

That 5000 euro car is going to need a lot more maintenance than a used electric car

catmanjan 3y ago
Until mechanics are willing to replace individual cells in a battery pack there is the looming risk of a very high cost repair...
kalleboo 3y ago
I'll need more frequent, but far cheaper maintenance. The current electric cars are all overengineered luxury cars in order to hit a profit margin and are extremely expensive to repair many normally minor faults. It's fine if you're the original owner under a warranty but a second hand buyer beware. Theoretically electric cars should be super simple and reliable and have very cheap repairs, but those cars aren't being made by anyone today (maybe the Nissan Leaf?)

bryanlarsen 3y ago

You'll likely never be able to buy an electric car for much under $5k, because it'll have a scrap value of $3-$5k. $5k-$10k implies a >10 year old car and EV's only started shipping in good volume in the last year or two.

hiddencost 3y ago
European cars are much smaller frequently. Getting something akin to a Fiat Panda may be more realistic.
- Rinzler89 3y ago
  >Getting something akin to a Fiat Panda may be more realistic. The range of an electric Fiat Panda will be complete shit compared to it's ICE equivalent. Source: An owner of a cheap used Panda I use to travel across Europe every summer.

greenthrow 3y ago

Engines, transmissions and differentials are all consumables too, and require far more maintenance than a battery. When the battery in an EV has too much degradation to stay in the EV, it can still be used for stationary storage. The main thint driving EV depreciation right now, and this will likely continue for some time, is how quickly the technology is improving.

gandalfian 3y ago

€ so european? A Nissan leaf can be €5000 but will probably only do 70 miles to a charge. A Corsa-e knock off Peugeot, 4 years old can be €10,000 just. I think they will get cheaper.

Cthulhu_ 3y ago

Yes, or, there will be; the numbers are coming in from 10 year old EVs / cars that have done >600K kilometers and the batteries seem fine. Mind you, these are mainly teslas. Second, there is an influx starting of secondhand electric cars as the first adopters of electric lease cars have their contracts expiring / getting a new car, leading the lease car companies to sell the cars on. It's a gradual process but it's happening.

constantcrying 3y ago

The second hand market for EVs has the problem that the price for a car will never be below the value of the battery. So unless battery technology significantly improves the cost per performance ratio usable used EVs won't fall below a certain price point. China is making EVs for ridiculous low prices, which is mainly due to the dramatic race to bankrupt the competition, before you yourself go bankrupt, that is happening on the Chinese domestic market.