Drivers can save £1,450 a year by buying a secondhand EV

The list consisted mostly of larger EVs with high savings
An ever-increasing number of savvy families are turning their backs on paying a ‘petrol premium’
The sticker price of new EVs is falling

two white cars charging up at a tesco electric vehicle charging station — The analysis, which models 10 years of secondhand ownership, including purchase cost and all running costs

Secondhand electric vehicle (EV) drivers will still save around £1,450 a year, on average, despite the government’s plan to bring in a new 3p-per-mile tax on EVs in 2028, new analysis from the Energy Climate and Intelligence Unit (ECIU) has found.

The analysis, which models 10 years of secondhand ownership, including purchase cost and all running costs, looked at the most-viewed secondhand EVs of 2025 on Autotrader.

The list consisted mostly of larger EVs with high savings, according to Colin Walker, head of transport, ECIU, including the Jaguar i-Pace, Polestar 2 or Audi Q4 e-tron, but the ECIU also looked at smaller EVs, such as the Nissan Leaf, that can save drivers almost £700 per year. This was also true for other smaller EVs, with savings of £940 for the Renualt Zoe and £650 for the Kia NIro.

Get free solar panel quotes

Answer a few quick questions, and our trusted installers will send you bespoke solar panel quotes – for free.

Compare now

These savings were driven by significantly lower charging costs compared to petrol costs, Walker said, adding that secondhand EVs were now priced the same as secondhand petrol cars. Walker predicted that by 2028 new EVs will be the same price as new petrol ones and be “much cheaper to run”.

The analysis followed the latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which found that sales of secondhand EVs in Q3 2025 grew by 44%, the highest growth rate of all other types, including petrol, diesel and hybrid.

Walker said that an ever-increasing number of families are turning their backs on paying a ‘petrol premium’ to run their old cars, trading them in for second-hand EVs that can save hundreds, even thousands, of pounds a year.

“The mixed messages being sent to consumers by the government’s introduction of a 3p-per-mile tax on EVs is understandably causing concern, risks undermining consumer confidence, and could significantly slow the sale of new and used EVs.

“But it will not change the fact that second-hand EVs can deliver, and will continue to deliver, very significant savings to families across the country the moment they get their hands on the keys.

“The government’s recent weakening of its targets for new EV sales could encourage manufacturers to sell more plug-in hybrids – which burn 490% more fuel than their manufacturers claim – and fewer EVs,” Walker said.

“This in turn could stifle the growth of the UK’s second-hand EV market, keeping many families back from being able to make the transition to cheaper and cleaner electric driving”.

Get free solar panel quotes

Answer a few quick questions, and our trusted installers will send you bespoke solar panel quotes – for free.

Compare now

Written By

Tamara Birch Newsletter and sponsored content editor

Tamara is a London-based journalist and has written about environmental topics for more than four years. This includes advising small business owners on cost-effective ways, like solar panels and energy-efficient products, to help them become more sustainable.

She has used her journalist and research skills to become highly knowledgeable on sustainable initiatives, issues, and solutions to help consumers do their bit for the environment – all while reducing monthly costs.

In addition to adopting sustainable practices in her personal life, Tamara has worked in the retail B2B space to help independent retailers think about their environmental choices and how they can help improve their business. She now uses this knowledge to help consumers do the same.

Her passion for sustainability and eco-friendly solutions stems from a long obsession with nature and animals and ensuring they feel looked after. In her free time, Tamara enjoys reading fantasy novels, visiting the gym, and going on long walks in new areas.

More about

Reviewed By

Maximilian Schwerdtfeger Content manager

Max joined The Eco Experts as content manager in February 2024 and became deputy editor in 2025. He has written about sustainability issues across numerous industries, including maritime, supply chain, finance, mining, and retail. He has also written extensively for consumer titles like City AM, The Morning Star, and The Daily Express.

In 2020, he covered in detail the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) legislation on sulphur emissions and its effects on the global container shipping market as online editor of Port Technology International.

He also explored the initiatives major container ports and terminals have launched in order to ship vital goods across the world without polluting the environment.

Since then, he has reported heavily on the impact made by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices on the supply chain of minerals, with a particular focus on rare earth mining in Africa.

As part of this, in 2022 Max visited mines and ports in Angola to hone in on the challenges being faced by one of the world’s biggest producers of rare earth minerals.

His most recent sustainability-related work came much closer to home, as he investigated the eco-challenges faced by independent retailers in the UK, specifically looking at how they can cut emissions and continue to thrive.

Max lives in South London and is an avid reader of books on modern history and ghost stories. He has also recently learned to play the game Mahjong and takes every opportunity to do so. He is also yet to find a sport he doesn’t enjoy watching.

More about

Drivers can save £1,450 a year by buying a secondhand EV

You might also like