Thousands slashed off price of British car as 'one of the worst for depreciation'

An electric model built by a British manufacturer is one of the worst cars to hold its value on the market, according to experts. Specialists at AutoExpress have claimed the electric Vauxhall Mokka-E is one of the worst depreciating cars with thousands slashed off prices.

Analysis by the group claims the Ultimate Long Range electric model retains just 28.3% of its total price just a few years later. The model sells for around £42,045 brand new but is worth just £11,900 around three years after rolling off the forecourt. The Mokka came second in AutoExpress’ poll with the fully electric Nissan Leaf just pipping it as the worst depreciating model around.

Experts at AutoExpress said: “If the DS3’s styling is a little much for you, then its Stellantis sibling, the Vauxhall Mokka-E, may be worth a look – provided you’re buying used.

“New buyers, or their finance companies at least, have to suffer a £30k drop in value over three years, to just 28.30% of the car’s new price in Ultimate trim.

“Like the DS3 the Mokka-E is a perfectly serviceable small electric SUV, looks good, and has a sensible cabin design, but if you’re buying new, stick to one of the cheaper lower trim levels, which don’t shed their value quite as quickly.”

The Mokka-E is fitted with a 54kWh battery capable of around 209 miles on a single charge.

Performance-wise, the Mokka is capable of 0-62 mph in just 9.2 seconds with a top speed of 93mph.

Vauxhall is one of the biggest players in the UK electric car market with the brand selling over 15,000 electric cars in 2024.

This gives the brand a stunning 4.15% share of the electric car market in the UK in the face of intense competition from abroad.

To top it off, the Mokka’s sister, the Corsa Electric, was named the UK’s best-selling electric supermini of 2024.

The UK brand has embraced the move to EVs with the marque now offering a fully electric version of every car and van in its line-up.

Vehicles tend to depreciate by around 12% per year with 80% of their value lost after ten years on the road.

However, experts are monitoring whether electric models could be losing their value quicker than traditional combustion models.

Motorpoint warned: “Market data from providers like Autotrader shows that EVs depreciate very slightly faster on average than petrol and diesel-powered models.

“The biggest drop in EV value relative to fuel-powered cars is within the first 12 months. After that point, the rate of depreciation for each following year tracks more closely to non-EVs.”