The best used electric car bargains to snap up now

This wouldn’t be a list of EVs without a Tesla somewhere in the mix. The arrival of a facelifted Model 3 has helped soften values for the old car, although in terms of looks and driving experience, there’s very little difference between the two. 

That means composed and capable handling, a cushioned ride (some low-speed stiffness aside) and enough performance to keep most adrenaline junkies happy. 

There’s a real sense of agility – you might call it nervousness until you get used to It – and body roll is controlled well, so the Model 3 exhibits an alert keenness to its handling.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Tesla’s use of the over-the-air software updates means many electrical niggles can be quickly resolved, although squeaky trim and inconsistent panel gaps betray the brand’s build quality issues. 

That said, the Model 3 is generally reliable, while Tesla's battery tech results in longer cell life than most. 

You can pay as little as £10,000 for a standard car, but we would stretch to the extra £1500 or so the Long Range car demands, because it gets you a claimed range of 348 miles (just over 300 miles in reality).

Either way, you will get access to the excellent Tesla Supercharger network, which can handle a 10-80% charge in just 30 minutes. 

Practical, rangey and easy to live with, the Skoda Enyaq is a well-rounded EV that also offere excellent value for money in what is one of the most competitive electric car segements.

While many EVs in this list standout for one particular reason, the Skoda impresses in several key areas. 

The ‘engine start’ button is largely redundant as the car senses someone in the driver’s seat and will move off when put in ‘D’. Annoyingly, leaning over to get something from the passenger footwell can turn the car off (not once moving, of course).

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

You’ll likely be drawn to its roomy and logically-configured cabin, confidence inspiring drive (thanks to its medium-firm setup) and broad mix of batteries and trims. 

Around £12,000 (or slightly less for a well used, high mileage example) will get you into a 60 model with a 58kWh battery and 250-mile range. 

You're better off spending £2000-£3000 more on an 80 model, however, as it has a real world range closer to 300 miles, making it a more competent companion for longer motorway trips.

Its 201bhp motor is brisk, too, and provides more than enough zip, even if the performance fails to drum up much by way of entertainment. 

For all-round appeal though, the Enyaq is a solid, sensible choice. 

One of our favourite EVs when new, the Jaguar I-Pace makes an equally compelling choice as a used car. 

It has been around for several years now, which means prices of this fast and fleet-footed big cat have now dropped to £13,000. 

The brake calibration here is conspicuously good, not least in how it lessens the regenerative effect when you roll off the brake pedal and onto the throttle.

Richard Lane, Deputy road test editor

For that outlay, you get a muscular 395bhp dual-motor, four-wheel-drive set-up, plus a hefty 90kWh battery that will give you a slightly disappointing usable range of around 250 miles (295 miles is claimed).

The upside is stonking straight-line pace and typical Jaguar dynamics that manage to blend invigorating handling with hushed refinement and a plush ride. 

The I-Pace is also spacious and retains the British brand’s delightfully upper-crust interior ambience.

Overall quality is high, but electronic glitches have blighted the car from new, so check any potential purchase for onerous warning lights.

Arguably ahead of its time, the innovative BMW i3 is an EV that’s as interesting to own as it is cheap to run. 

Underpinned by strong and light carbonfibre-reinforced-plastic architecture and clad in distinctive composite bodywork, the i3 is surprisingly light for an EV (it tips the scales at less than 1200kg). 

Yes, the steering wheel has a blue line running round it. No, it's not naff. It's not Tron light bike cool, either. But in a climate of recycled chic, it chimes.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Its rear-mounted 168bhp motor serves up zippy performance while the skinny-tyred handling has enough baked-in BMW driver appeal to keep things fun.

Then there’s the boldly styled and neatly packaged interior, which is crammed with sustainably sourced materials. 

This pioneering approach to the car’s design and engineering means that the i3 already has the makings of a modern classic, while prices starting at under £5000 make it an affordable choice too. 

The only downside is that the small 21.5kWh battery on early cars means a realistic range of only 80 miles or so (BMW claimed 100 miles).

Provided you’re not planning to do many high-mileage drives in your EV, the quirky Mazda MX-30 makes plenty of second-hand sense. 

Even when new, this compact crossover had a paltry 124 miles of claimed range from its 35.5kWh battery, which today translates to around 100 miles of reliable range.

It doesn’t feel like the MX-30 really bites into hairpins, but grip and stability are good nonetheless.

Richard Lane, Deputy road test editor

Then there’s the rear-hinged 'suicide' rear doors, which are more of a gimmick than a practicality aid, plus rear-seat space is marginal for adults. 

Yet for short hops or second-car duties, the MX-30's incisive handling makes it one of the more engaging EVs to drive. It’s also well built and lavishly equipped. 

Moreover, this misunderstood Mazda has suffered more from depreciation than small car alternatives, such as the Mini Electric, meaning a three-year-old example can be yours for little more than £10,000.

If you’re looking for the cheapest electric car on the second-hand market, the Nissan Leaf should be at the top of your shopping list. 

The electric family car pioneer has been around for the best part of a decade and a half now, with the result that you can pay as little as £2000 for an early example.

The immediate torque and predictable power delivery makes the Leaf one of the best urban commuters around.

Matt Prior, Editor-at-large

Of course, at this end of the market, you won’t get much range for your cash and examples fitted with a 24kWh battery deliver a realistic 80 miles of range (well down on the official 109 miles). 

Yet treat the Leaf as a cheap commuter car or school-run hack and you will be laughing all the way to the bank. 

Not only will fiill-ups cost you less than with an ICE alternative, but the Leaf is also proving to be a durable and robust long-term proposition, requiring only routine maintenance and the replacement of the usual consumables.

Living in the shade of its more fashionable, more famous and younger namesake – the Hyundai Ioniq 5 – makes the Ioniq Electric a bit of a bargain buy. 

It’s not the most glamorous or invigorating set of wheels you will ever buy, but as a sensible, low-cost and hassle-free runaround, it takes some beating. 

The Ioniq's instrumentation is clear, its driving position and seat are both good, its sat-nav system is okay and its visibility is reasonable.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

The relatively modest 38.3kWh battery’s stamina is aided by excellent aerodynamics that allow this hatchback to squeeze a claimed 193 miles (expect around 165 miles day to day) from a charge, while Premium trim is very well equipped. 

Just under £9000 will secure the keys to a 2020 example with around 50,000 miles on the clock.

That being said, you can bag a tidy Ioniq with a fair few miles on the clock for around £6000 if your budget is tight. 

With family car icons such as the Beetle and Golf on its books, Volkswagen knew its first bespoke EV hatchback had some big boots to fill.

And while the ID 3 probably won’t be held in such high regard as its ancestors, it makes a solid and sensible used choice. 

The electronic management of the ID 3’s handling is really sophisticated, but it's also permanent: there’s no dialling back or switching off the ESC. Would it be more fun if you could? I doubt it.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Being designed from the ground up as an EV using the brand’s MEB platform (rear-mounted motor and battery under the floor), the ID 3 is roomy and brisk, even in entry-level 168bhp guise.

It’s not quite as fun as its rear-drive layout might have you believe and some of the cabin ergonomics will make you want to set fire to the car (the unlit touch-sensitive temperature controls being the biggest faux pas), but for around £11,000 you can a three-year-old example with the smallest (58kWh) battery. That’s still good enough for a claimed 265 miles (roughly 230 miles in real-world use).

The bigger, 77kWh battery delivers a realistic 300 miles between top-ups, but currently commands a hefty ££5000-6000 premium, which means it doesn’t offer nearly as much value for money.