Used electric vehicles are continuing to gain traction in the U.S. pre-owned market, and dealers who understand the data may find meaningful opportunity in a segment that is showing measurable growth even without federal incentives. Recent industry analysis highlighted by Auto Remarketing, citing research from Recurrent, Cox Automotive and iSeeCars, points to rising sales, stabilizing prices in certain segments and increasing supply from lease returns.
According to the Used Electric Car Prices & Market Report from Recurrent, demand for used battery-electric vehicles remains solid despite the expiration of the federal EV tax credit. Liz Najman, director of market insights at Recurrent, described the pricing environment as “a stable and mature market,” noting that typical winter price softening is occurring but is consistent with broader used-vehicle trends rather than unique to EVs. She also pointed to a growing wave of lease returns that is delivering additional inventory to dealers, creating more opportunities for sourcing and retailing used EVs.
Recurrent’s data shows that for full-year 2025, used EV sales rose 35% year-over-year. December sales were up 10.2% compared with the prior year and nearly 10% higher than November, suggesting sustained momentum rather than a short-term spike.
Data from Cox Automotive reinforce the upward trend. According to the company’s EV Market Monitor, used EV sales reached 31,503 units in January, an increase of 21.2% year-over-year and 20.8% higher than the prior month. Tesla continues to account for a significant share of used EV volume, with 12,416 units sold in January. Other leading brands included Audi with 2,002 units, Ford with 1,995, Chevrolet with 1,959 and BMW with 1,842, according to Cox Automotive.
Most brands posted month-over-month gains, with Audi showing a 63.4% increase. Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of industry insights at Cox Automotive, characterized the used EV segment as “a relative bright spot,” citing improved affordability and narrowing price gaps compared with internal-combustion vehicles as key drivers. She cautioned that broader new-vehicle inventory levels and overall market demand could still influence pricing and sales trends across the industry.
Inventory composition and pricing trends also provide context for dealer strategy. Recurrent reported that more than half of used EVs available in January were listed below $30,000, and 55% were model year 2023 or newer. That combination of relatively late-model vehicles and sub-$30,000 pricing places many used EVs squarely in mainstream consideration for value-oriented shoppers.
Analysis from iSeeCars adds nuance to the pricing picture. Average transaction prices for used EVs between one and five years old increased about 3.5% from September to January. However, that increase was heavily influenced by Tesla models, whose prices rose approximately 4.3% during that period. When Tesla and the low-volume Porsche Taycan are excluded, the remaining used EV cohort saw average prices decline roughly 3.6%, reflecting ongoing depreciation pressures in the broader EV market.
Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars, indicated that mainstream manufacturers and dealers appear to be offsetting the loss of federal incentives by adjusting pricing downward on non-Tesla EVs, while Tesla’s pricing strength helps buoy overall segment averages. The result is a market that is increasingly segmented, with varying residual performance depending on brand and product positioning.
At the same time, iSeeCars data show that used EVs’ share of total 1- to 5-year-old used-vehicle sales slipped from 3.5% in September to 2.8% in January, a decline of roughly 20%. While overall used EV sales volumes have grown, their share of the broader used market has softened, potentially reflecting shifting consumer priorities or macroeconomic pressures.
Taken together, the data suggest the used EV market is evolving rather than retreating. Sales are up, inventory is expanding and pricing dynamics are becoming more defined. For dealers, understanding brand-specific depreciation patterns, leveraging growing lease-return supply and positioning used EVs competitively against gasoline vehicles could prove critical in capturing opportunity in this developing segment.
Editorial Credit: Chandler, Arizona, July 15, 2024. Around the World Photos/Shutterstock.com.