‘I’m a car dealer - this is why people are still worried buying used electric vehicles’

A second-hand car dealer has revealed two crucial reasons why motorists are still hesitant to buy used electric vehicles. Jeff Wong, used car controller at Porsche Centre Bristol, stressed that customers were “starting to ask questions” around battery health. Battery degradation means EVs will slowly lose their capacity to store and deliver electricity, possibly leading to a shorter range.

The issue has been among the biggest barriers to second-hand electric car adoption in recent years and there are fears it could hold back petrol and diesel owners from making the switch. When asked if concerns around battery length were being discussed on the doorstep, Jeff said it was still a worry for many despite having tools to check vehicles.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, he said: “People are now starting to ask the question. But now we have devices in all our Porsche centres where we can actually test the battery life of an electric vehicle.

“Our cars are around the five-year mark, 2020 is when they were first launched, so they are about five years old.

“We are getting more and more people asking the questions, and we can quite simply plug in the batteries and tell the customers exactly what kind of life is left on these cars. Hopefully, with that we can give them good news and give them more confidence buying these cars.”

A previous poll of 2,000 drivers from The Green Institute found 62% of those considering buying an EV had concerns around battery lifespan.

To combat the issue, some EV firms such as Polestar have introduced battery health certificates to be transparent with second-hand buyers.

However, Jeff stressed that more people simply getting behind the wheel of EVs would change many people’s mindsets.

He said: “People who are driving petrol and diesel cars currently, still a very low percentage of them have actually driven an electric car. So they don't know what it's about.

“But if they look into it and they know about the progression that these cars have made over the years and how simple they are, I think there will be a big appetite for the electric market.”

Despite the concerns, data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed a boom for used vehicles in 2024.

Used electric sales were up 47.4% compared to the year before with 188,382 cars swapping hands.

Jeff admits he has been dabbling into Porsche’s electric car range with orders for Taycan and Macan models with hopes sales will rise into 2025.

He added: “As long as the price is right, the mileage and the spec is right on these cars, these cars are selling very well.

“I’ve just bought three of them as there is an appetite for good electric Taycan’s and Macans. I’m hoping to see a big increase in electric sales very soon.”