Top 5 tips for buying secondhand electric vehicles

electric car charging

Buying secondhand electric vehicles is slightly different compared to purchasing more conventional petrol or diesel counterparts. Here we go through the top 5 tips for buying secondhand electric automobiles. 

Top Tip Number 1 – Charging

When buying secondhand electric vehicles, it is first important to check whether you have the means available to you for charging. Do you have a drive or garage with a suitable electricity power source?  Is it appropriate for installing an EV charging point? 

You may have the drive or garage but ensuring the electricity accessibility is up to standards for installing an EV charging point is something different indeed. If you are not too sure, then the first thing to do is have an electrician take a look for you. 

When choosing an electrician to advise you on EV charger installation, it is wise to find an OLEV approved installer. You can find further information on this here via the government website.

Of course to have an electric vehicle, you do not necessarily need a drive with a charge point installed. If you live in a busy city or town, then you may have plenty of public EV charging points nearby at your disposal. 

Perhaps you are able to charge your electric vehicle at work. This is even better, as whilst you are working and hopefully not requiring use of a vehicle, your EV can spend a good part of the day charging. It is perfect to have an EV charged and ready for that evening commute home, all whilst leaving plenty in the battery for a weekend get away. 

Top Tip Number 2 – Range

When looking at which secondhand electric vehicles to purchase, another top tip to consider is the range. Are you going to be doing short journeys around town? Great if you are! As you will most likely require a smaller battery with a range of about 150 miles. In which case something such as the BMW i3 or Renault ZOE would be perfect for your needs. 

If you are looking for something more comfortable for long distance motorway driving, then a Tesla might be a better fit. You are likely to get around 250 miles in range with a Tesla Model S. The Tesla range also comes with Tesla supercharging, which is a huge perk. Being able to visit Tesla superchargers means you can charge the EV from empty to around the 80% mark in one hour maximum. By the time you park up at the motorway service station, pop in to buy yourself a coffee and newspaper, the Tesla will be ready to get you going again. Plus did you know some Tesla Supercharging is free? Yes, Tesla supercharging for Tesla EVs purchased prior to 2016 means free unlimited Tesla supercharging. What better reason to buy second hand electric vehicles such as the Tesla! 

Top Tip Number 3 – Insurance

Prior to purchasing an electric vehicle, shop around and see which deals you can get in relation to EV insurance. 

Some insurance companies actually provide specific EV insurance. You can even find insurance providers that actually provide more benefits for those who drive electric vehicles. The EV cover can include things like charging cable cover, free recovery if you run out of charge and even cover to protect against fire or theft of your EV battery. 

Insurance for EVs can be cheaper than standard insurance for petrol or diesel counterparts, as with electric vehicles, there is less that can go wrong. An electric vehicle has less moving parts, which means there is less chance of something seriously going wrong. 

Top Tip 4 – Company Car Tax Savings

If you are likely to be using your electric vehicle for company use, then you may want to check how much Benefit in Kind tax you will be paying. 

Until April 6th 2021 the Benefit in Kind (BiK) company car tax for electric cars will be 0%, and then rising to only 1% for 2021/2022!
 
Having an electric company car will offer significant tax savings.

Top Tip Number 5 – Hire Before You Buy

With plenty of variety on the market, it could be tricky to pick that perfect EV. If you’re interested in a couple of electric vehicles for sale, but can’t decide we would highly recommend hiring before buying. This way you’ll be able to get a real feel for the car, especially as it will be a big purchase! Our sister company, EVision Electric Vehicles have the very best electric cars for hire including:

  • Teslas (Model S, X & 3)
  • Kia e-Niro
  • Audi e-tron
  • Jaguar I-Pace
  • BMW i3
  • Renault ZOE
  • Vauxhall Corsa-e
  • Volkswagen ID.3 & ID.4
  • Porsche Taycan

So there you have it. Your top tips for buying second hand electric vehicles. Need any further assistance, be sure to give our friendly team at EV Sales a call. Get in touch

SECONDHAND ELECTRIC VEHICLES AT EV SALES

Are you looking to buy a secondhand electric vehicle? If you’ve found a car that takes your fancy then contact us today. We have a wide range of electric vehicles for sale, that are ready and waiting for new owners, including second hand Teslas, BMWs and Renault ZOEs. Whether you would like to find out more about a specific second hand car or you would like to arrange a virtual appointment until our forecourt is allowed to open again, our EV specialists would be more than happy to assist.

Contact us today by email, or call us on 01634 914063.

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