For years, the received wisdom about electric cars was that they lost value faster than anything else on the road. New figures from Motorway's National Car Index suggest that's starting to change, and quickly.
The number of EVs sold through Motorway more than doubled this summer, up 115% compared with the same period last year, while the average price sellers received for an electric car rose by 6%. The Tesla Model 3 is now the most in-demand car on the platform, and EVs are attracting 29% more dealer bids than the average car listed.
It's worth remembering these are Motorway's own figures, comparing sales between July and early September with the same period in 2025, so they're a snapshot of one big platform rather than the whole used market. But they point firmly in one direction, and it's good news if you've got an EV on your driveway.
Why are used electric car prices rising?
There isn't one single reason, and Motorway puts it down to several things happening at once. Range anxiety is fading, with the RAC estimating the real-world range of an average EV has grown from around 235 miles in 2024 to roughly 300 miles today. Charging at home has also become far more common, with Zapmap putting the number of home wallboxes at around 1.4 million, up from an estimated 200,000 in 2021.
Fuel prices are playing their part too. Petrol has reached its highest price in nearly four years, according to the ONS, which makes the running-cost argument for an EV much easier to make at the moment.
The timing of the used market matters as well. Used cars typically lag the new market by four to six years, which means the wave of EVs bought new during the early adoption years is now arriving on forecourts at prices far more people can afford.
We'd add one more factor. Early electric cars took a heavy depreciation hit in their first few years, so a lot of that drop has already happened. Motorway's data team says the gap between how quickly EVs and petrol or diesel cars lose value has narrowed considerably, and that's what makes a used EV look such good value right now.
Is a used EV good value now?
For a lot of buyers, we think it is. James McConville, who runs Solo Cars in Liverpool, told Motorway that a used Tesla or Volkswagen ID.4 now costs close to a Volkswagen Golf on a monthly basis, and that families are buying them without a second thought. In his words, an EV on the forecourt is now "just another car".That said, a used EV needs checking in slightly different ways to a petrol or diesel car. Ask for a battery health report, which shows how much of its original capacity the battery still holds, and check how much of the manufacturer's battery warranty is left, since most cover it for eight years. Think about where you'll charge too, because the running-cost savings are biggest when you can plug in at home overnight.
Should you sell your electric car now?
If you've been thinking about selling an EV, the timing looks good. Values are up, dealers are competing harder for electric cars than for the average used car, and that kind of demand tends to show up in the offers you get.
The catch is that if you're replacing it with another EV, you'll be buying in the same rising market, so the gain on your current car may be partly eaten up by what you pay for the next one. Selling makes most sense if you're switching to something else entirely, or if your EV is nearing the end of its battery warranty and you'd rather hand that question to the next owner
.Our verdict
We think the old story about electric cars being impossible to sell on is running out of road. Better range, far more home charging and high fuel prices have turned used EVs into a mainstream choice, and the data shows buyers and dealers have noticed.
That's good news whichever side of the deal you're on. Owners are getting more for their cars than they would have a year ago, and buyers can pick up an electric car that someone else has already taken the biggest depreciation hit on. Just make sure the battery checks out before you hand over any money.
Thinking of selling your car? Get your offer here