Buying a used electric car: 5 mistakes to avoid

The electric car has several advantages. Apart from the fact that an electric vehicle (EV) pollutes three times less over its life cycle than a thermal one in India, one of the advantages not to be overlooked is that EVs have a slower discount than that of equivalent thermal vehicles. This is because EVs quickly lose value for the first two years on average, before seeing this process slow down considerably. It then becomes advantageous to buy or sell a used electric vehicle (VEO). This is how the EV market is expanding to present great opportunities. However, you must remain vigilant when buying a used electric car. Here are some mistakes to avoid.

Used electric car: do not trust the range announced by the manufacturer

While the initial range of the vehicle gives an idea of ​​the performance that can be achieved with the purchase of the new vehicle, the actual range can vary greatly, even if we consider two identical models.

The factors that play a role in autonomy are:

• The number of cycles performed
• Mileage
• The interview carried out
• The environment of the car: the climate - parking (exterior or interior)
• The charging methods used: repeated high power charges or regularly charging the battery to 100% are more “harmful”. It is therefore recommended to perform slow charges up to 80%.

Take the example of a new electric car with a range of 240 km. After several years of driving, its actual range in normal conditions could be around 75%. The number of kilometers that can be covered has now increased to 180 km in temperate conditions. To get an idea of ​​the range of a used electric car, it is possible to ask for a test which should be long enough to have time to use the car fully charged and to estimate the number of kilometers traveled.

Think about the different ways of recharging the battery

Regardless of the quality of the battery or its performance, charging methods will sometimes condition the choice of your used electric car. For home charging, the majority of lithium-ion models are compatible. However, it will be necessary to provide a diagnosis of your electrical installation by a qualified professional to ensure that your installation will support the load. You can also choose to install a Wallbox to charge your electric car in complete safety. If you plan to charge outdoors, you will need to check whether the technology used corresponds to your car. If the network around you is mainly made up of accelerated charging stations with a power of 22 kW, it will be necessary to favor compatible models, like the Renault.

Check the supplied charging cable

The vehicle's charging sockets and cables must be in perfect condition. A nicked plug or twisted cable could make charging less efficient or even dangerous.

The price of the used electric car

Used electric car ads sometimes display a price that may hide surprises. To make sure you don't get fooled, ask if the price takes into account government aid. Certain aids may not apply during your purchase. Once the actual price has been obtained, you can then deduct the amount of aid that corresponds to your case.

Do not forget the cost of the battery rental, if applicable

Some electric car models were sold exclusively with a battery rental. Today, the battery rental system is no longer relevant for almost all new models. If you buy a used electric car including a battery rental, it is possible to buy back the battery. Think once again to test the latter. Otherwise, you will have to pay monthly rent. The amount of the monthly payments depends on the model of EV and the number of kilometers not to be exceeded. In the medium term, it will certainly be possible to consider driving without difficulty with a used electric car. When the batteries reach high capacities, for example, 100 kWh, they will have a longer lifespan. With models marketed between 2012 and 2016, it would be taking a risk not to test the vehicle's battery. So beware of scams!

Who are we?

We are striving hard to provide you with world-class service to make your city the leading EV city of India. At Kazam, we take care of our EV buyers and give them full EV solutions. From battery and charging solutions to the range and cost of electric vehicles. Visit Kazam EV at https://www.kazam.in/ for more information, or send us a message on our social media handles Kazam EV, and we will respond to your queries at the earliest. Book an appointment today!