In 2021, the aftermarket saw as much as 90 per cent more listings for electrics compared to 2020, according to autobaza.co.uk. The most common reasons why drivers choose this type of vehicle include environmental concerns, high driving comfort and significantly lower operating costs – especially when fuel prices rise. Still, the price of a new electric car scares away potential customers. An alternative would be to choose a used electrician. Before buying a second-hand electric car, however, you should ask yourself some important questions.
According to data from the end of February 2022, a total of 42,711 electric passenger and commercial vehicles were registered in Poland. Since the beginning of this year, their number has increased by 3177 units, which is an increase of 71% compared to the same period in 2021, according to the Licznik Mobilności.
In just a few years, electromobility has gone from expensive fashion to a real revolution in the automotive market. Electric vehicles are increasingly common in the range of products offered by car manufacturers, and the charging infrastructure is growing with them, making electric mobility much more comfortable.
“Although we are seeing a significant increase in interest in electric vehicles on the domestic market, the price of electric ones for the average citizen is still relatively high. Choosing an electric car from the aftermarket can be a solution. However, it is worth knowing that it is still very young in Poland, and most used electric cars come from >>more mature<< Germany, Belgium and Scandinavian countries," says Piotr Korab, an expert at autobaza.pl.
The ABCs of buying a used electrician
Before you buy an electric car, remember to check the vehicle thoroughly. Components that are particularly susceptible to wear include the battery and the charging socket. The oil change is omitted, which can save us money, as well as the change of timing and clutch, also the braking system is less burdened.
“The data from autobaza.pl shows that 20% of all damage in the history of used cars affects the front of the vehicle and the rear is 14% of the damage. To avoid disappointment after the purchase, it is worth checking the technical condition of the vehicle thoroughly and taking an interest in its past. Databases available on the market can be used for this purpose,” says Piotr Korab, an expert at autobaza.pl.
The heart of the electric car, which needs to be checked, is the battery, which is also the most expensive part of the vehicle – the replacement costs tens of thousands of euros. Note, however, that the life of the battery cells does not decrease fast enough to resign from the purchase of a used car. Manufacturers of electric vehicles usually offer a warranty of up to 8 years or 160,000 kilometres to replace the cells with a battery performance of less than 70% during the warranty period.
More and more offers on the secondary market
As the market for electric cars develops, so will the secondary market for electric cars – a lower price can contribute significantly to the increasing popularity of non-combustion vehicles. The Nissan Leaf, the Renault Zoe, the Fiat 500e or the BMV i3 are among the models that appear most frequently in the sales ads for used electricians – according to the results of the popular search engine for second-hand vehicles.
Although we have to spend more time searching for a used electrician due to the lower availability of offers, the other steps remain the same as with “standard” cars. In both cases, you should be vigilant and check both the technical condition and the vehicle history.