What to do if you’re looking to buy a used electric car, but don’t want a Tesla? Not so very long ago there wasn’t really an answer to this question - or not a particularly compelling one at least. Now, however, things look very different indeed. Since around four years ago, manufacturers began launching electric cars left, right and centre. And compared with their counterparts of even a year or two before, the technology, battery range, style and desirability of these new EVs has accelerated faster than a Model S in Ludicrous mode.
All of which means, where once a Tesla was the only show in town if you wanted a used electric car with a premium feel and a long range, that’s no longer the case.
So when it comes to finding alternatives, let’s start with the most popular Tesla of all in the UK: the Model 3. It’s a mid-sized saloon whose natural rival is the BMW 3 Series, so you might think that’d be the first place to look. And indeed it would be – if you didn’t want an EV. But BMW hasn’t yet released a 3 Series-sized electric car – so you’ll have to look elsewhere.
I reckon Polestar 2s look like a tremendous alternative at the moment. A glut of 2s landed on the used market a year or so ago when the first cars to be imported to the UK came to the end of their three-year finance plans, and values suffered. They’ve never really recovered, and that’s music to a used car buyer’s ears,
How about a 2022 Polestar 2 Long-Range Single Motor with the Plus pack – the best combination to have – with just 21,000 miles? This is one of my favourite EVs – loaded with toys, great to drive, beautifully built and with a very reasonable range. I found one on CarGurus for just £21,500 – to me, that seems like an awful lot of car for the money.
But what if you want something bigger? An alternative to a Tesla Model Y, let’s say? Well, about the closest you’ll get in terms of size and style is the Kia EV6. Extrovert looks mean it stands out from the crowd, and inside the stylish dashboard is arguably more usable than the touchscreen-heavy item you’ll find in the Model Y.
The EV6 rides more comfortably, too, especially if you choose one of the entry-level Air models. The GT-Line, with its sportier looks, is more popular, though, and therefore easier to find. The added benefit of choosing an EV6, of course, is that it’ll come with the balance of Kia’s seven-year warranty.
That means the 2022 GT-Line I found should have three or four years of that warranty left (although it's always worth checking with a Kia dealer before you buy). This one’s a single motor example with 27,000 miles, and the all-important heat pump – an optional extra, but worth seeking out. It’s yours for £24,648.
It’s to Kia that I’d turn for an alternative to Tesla’s biggest car, too. The Model X is a rare sight on these shores, as it was always an expensive buy – partly as a result of its complicated and costly ‘Falcon Wing’ rear doors. But if you want an electric seven-seat SUV, there are in fact relatively few alternatives.
The Kia EV9 is probably your best bet, even though these are still relatively new cars and therefore not that cheap. Mind you, I love the EV9 – it’s quiet, comfortable, enormously roomy, and surprisingly efficient, which means it gets a very usable range. I also happen to think it looks pretty cool.
Heavy depreciation means year-old examples are a much more cost-effective option than buying brand new. Take the 2024 GT Line S I found with 10,000 miles on the clock – it’s hard to call it a steal at £55,995, but that sort of cash for an EV that offers so much doesn’t feel like bad value.
And what about the car that started it all – the Tesla Model S? To my mind, this is still Tesla’s best car yet – not to mention its best-looking – despite its age and teething quality issues; a long-distance cruise in a Model S with the optional air suspension is a real joy.
But if you could get a Porsche Taycan for the price of a Model S, you would, right? Well, here’s the thing: when the Taycan first came out, it was like catnip to company executives, who loved the fact it saved them money on their company car tax while also getting them into something with a Porsche badge on its nose.
They were snapped up in their droves, usually on pricey lease deals paid for by the company. Now, though, many of those deals have come to an end, and used buyers aren’t so keen to pay top dollar for these cars, which means dealers are swimming in them. And as a result, there are some astonishingly competitive deals around if you look hard.
How about a 2020 Taycan 4S with just 44,000 miles on the clock (and 523bhp to play with) for £37,790? That’s about the same as you’ll pay for a similarly aged Tesla Model S Performance, which is fractionally faster but nowhere near as involving to drive. So despite my soft spot for the Model S, I think if it were my money, I’d be driving home in the Porsche.