Why are pre-owned electric cars stranded on resale?

The industry of eletric cars moving forward at full steam, with an increase in the production of new vehicles and an expansion of its presence in the market. On the other hand, a problem in the segment is already beginning to appear. We talk about disposing of used electric cars or trying to resell them.

In the United States, it is increasingly evident that buyers do not intend to invest in used electric vehicles, and this has created veritable “cemeteries” of vehicles.

The used car market generates around US$1.2 billion per year, but the options in the electric segment are far from being the most attractive, in the eyes of buyers.

The reason for the lack of interest

Electric cars have been left aside – Photo: Internet/Reproduction

The reason for this is associated with a combination of factors: lack of subsidies, the desire to wait for more advanced technology and successive failures in charging infrastructure.

At Chinafor example, a market that has become a reference in the area of ​​electric vehicles, due to subsidies and large local companies, used models also face the same problem.

In an interview with Fortune, Toyota’s director of operations, Matt Harrison, described the Chinese scene as “cemeteries infested with weeds and abandoned vehicles”.

Worsening outlook

The future trend is not good at all. Perspectives indicate that, in 2024, the situation is expected to worsen, as many of the approximately 1.2 million electric cars sold in the Europe in 2021 they will enter the used car market.

The decisive factor, according to experts, will be how automakers will approach this issue. They need to work on consumer trust, and this involves resale guarantees.

One possible solution is to create mobility offering programs, including in partnership with passenger transport or ride-sharing startups.

It’s the price?

Another issue is the value, which is still considered high when compared to combustion vehicles. In the view of the leader of VW and Audi dealerships, Dirk Weddigen von Knapp, it is important that EVs have more affordable prices to satisfy customer desire.

The fact is that, as it is something new, the industry is dealing with this issue of used cars for the first time. It’s worth watching to see how she will react to this.

Unlike combustion cars, which can be assessed based on age and mileage, there is still no widely used test to assess the quality of an electric car’s battery — and the battery is equivalent to 30% of the value of an EV.