The recent surge in electric vehicles already seems to have revolutionized the car market. With the majority of car manufacturers having committed to completely ceasing production of gas-powered vehicles at some point with the next fifteen to twenty years, it seems like electric cars are the future. Already popular across the showrooms and lots of new car dealerships, it may come as a surprise to many that electric cars are becoming more and more common in used car dealerships as well. The reason for this is that, although the popularity of electric vehicles has exponentially surged only very recently, EVs are not actually new technology.They haveactually been around in some capacity or another for quite some time.

It is also very worth noting that, generally speaking, the used car market has at times been considerably larger and more active than the new car market. For example, CarFastCash.com, a used car dealership with outlets in San Bernardino, Kern County and across Southern California, boast a willingness to accept almost any car, in any condition, for a fair price. The reason they can do this is that an extensive market reach coupled with significant restoration resources means they can always find a buyer for any car. Why would electric cars be any different?

Buying a Used EV – What Matters?

So how is buying a second-hand electric vehicle any different from buying a normal gas-powered vehicle? Well, in the fundamentals there is precisely no difference at all. But for the other party in the transaction – the buyer – there might be a few things to consider that don’t apply with more traditional vehicles. For one thing, electric car technology has been moving incredibly quickly in recent years. This isn’t to say that older EV cars are obsolete (far from it), but they may differ somewhat from the cars that are currently stocking the showrooms of new car dealerships.

Perhapsit might be best to conceptualize the problem as a series of questions.

Does an Electric Car Suit Me?

This is the number one question to ask if you are about to purchase your first EV. The issue of charging should be the most important. Do you have access to a garage or a place to install an EV charging point? If not, do you live near one? If the answer to these questions is “no”, then you might be better off with a gas-powered vehicle.

What is the State of the Battery?

This is a major thing to consider. The batteries in electric cars have come a long way very fast and, for used cars, not only is the battery likely to be an older model but it could also be run down somewhat. Replacing an EV battery is nothing like replacing a car battery in a gas-powered vehicle. If the battery is kaput in an EV, then you should give it a wide berth.

What is the Make and Model?

Obviously, you would consider this when buying any car, but this is especially important for an EV. Just like the batteries that power them, the efficiency of electric cars has come a long way and only very recently. It is only now, for example, that electric cars are beginning to supersede, in efficiency, gas-powered vehicles. If you’re looking at an EV that’s ten years old, it might not live up to your expectations.

And that’s it. Beyond these salient points, you can appraise electric vehicles just as you would any other used car. Be smart, be sure to use a reputable dealership, and always ask for a test drive.