How to sell an electric car

Preparing your electric car for sale

If you want to get a great price for your EV, it’s important to prepare your car for resale. Here are a few essential tips for maximising your EV’s value and saleability:

• Clean your car

  Thoroughly wash your car and scrupulously clean the interior to ensure viewers see your motor in the best possible light.

  If you can’t achieve a showroom sheen at home, consider investing in professional detailing services.

  Make sure your car smells good. Nothing beats that ‘new car smell’!

• Perform essential checks

  • Check that your car starts and runs reliably.
  • Make sure all the electrical components are working correctly.
  • Make sure your tyres are correctly inflated – and the tread is at least 3mm. (Whilst the legal minimum tread is 1.6mm, studies have shown that performance is compromised when tyres are worn beyond 3mm.)
  • Check the fluids, top up where necessary, and ensure no leaks are present. Any leaks should be fixed before you sell your car.

• Repair your car and address minor damage

  • If your car has any mechanical issues, this will hurt its resale value – and make it harder to sell.
  • Take your car to a mechanic to check that all components are working correctly. If any parts need repairing or replacing, consider whether it’s best to repair or sell your car. For example, if the cost of the repairs would exceed your car’s value, selling your car in its current condition would be the most economical option.
  • Minor dents and scratches are relatively cheap to fix – and doing so will make your car more attractive to prospective buyers.

  Important: If you are selling your car with mechanical or electrical faults, you must disclose them to any prospective buyers. By failing to do so, you could land yourself in legal trouble.

• Get a fresh MOT certificate

  If your car has less than six months’ MOT cover remaining, getting it retested can reassure potential buyers that it’s safe and reliable. This will also spare them the hassle of MOT testing the car shortly after buying it.

  Remember, if you’re selling an MOT-less car, it’s important to disclose this fact to buyers. Otherwise, it could be argued that you attempted to deceive them.

• Make sure the paperwork is in order

  Make sure you have the necessary documents to sell your car. Ideally, you should gather the following documentation before selling:

  • V5C logbook.
  • Service history.
  • Past MOT certificates.
  • Receipts for parts and repairs.
  • Warranty and insurance documents.
  • V778 number plate retention certificate (if you plan to retain a private number plate after selling).

• Consider obtaining a battery health certificate

  Electric car batteries can be prohibitively expensive to replace, with typical costs ranging from £2,000 to £8,500. Therefore, in some cases, the cost of replacing a used EV’s battery will exceed its value. Battery failure is a common concern among used EV buyers.

  Certifying your EV’s battery before you sell it can provide prospective buyers with extra reassurance.

  An EV battery health certificate includes a holistic report on your battery’s health and performance at the time of testing, including a State of Health (SoH) percentage score. It may also include electric range estimates for various road types and weather conditions.

How do you value an electric car?

When selling your EV, it’s important to set a realistic price. If you set the price too high, you’ll struggle to attract buyers. Conversely, if you set it too low, you could miss out on some cash!

Therefore, before putting your motor on the market, getting an accurate valuation is key. You can use our free car valuation tool to find out what your EV is worth. Simply enter your reg number and mileage to get started.

Evaluating your car periodically can also help you understand how depreciation is affecting its value over time. If you’re not planning to sell immediately, these insights can help you decide on the best time to sell your car.

You should also pay attention to how cars of the same age, make, model, and condition are priced on car auction, dealer, and advertising websites. This should help you set your own price appropriately.

Tips for creating an advert for your electric car

• Include key information such as the car’s make, model, age, mileage, and electric range.

• Provide detailed information about the car’s battery condition. If you have a battery health certificate, reference the SoH score.

• Include a variety of clear photographs, showing the interior and exterior of the car from multiple angles, along with the charger and cable. Take the photographs in daylight and clean your car as thoroughly as possible beforehand.

• Discuss the benefits of electric motoring to entice used car buyers that are on the fence about making the switch.

• Be fully transparent about any damage, mechanical or electrical faults.

• Price your car fairly and accurately based on valuations from online tools and pricing for comparable second-hand cars.

Tips for arranging a successful EV test drive

• Ask a friend or family member to accompany you to ensure the test drive runs safely and smoothly.

• Don’t agree to meet viewers at an unfamiliar location. Car thieves have been known to lure sellers to remote spots to take their car by force.

• Make sure both you and the viewer are licenced and insured to test drive the vehicle. If you are covered, but the viewer cannot produce a valid driving licence and proof of insurance, you can offer to demonstrate the car for them.

• Always accompany the viewer; never allow them to drive your car unsupervised.

• Do not leave the keys in the ignition.

• Arrange a test route covering a variety of roads, surfaces, and speeds. This will allow the viewer to experience how the car handles in a variety of scenarios and decide whether it’s to their liking.

• Beware of car buying scams – and don’t hand over the keys until you’ve received payment for the full amount.

Transferring ownership and tax

To transfer ownership of a car, the registered keeper must detach the green ‘new keeper’ slip from the V5C logbook, give it to the new owner, complete the rest of the logbook appropriately - and then send it to the DVLA (who will issue a fresh V5C logbook in the new keeper’s name).

If you have unused car tax cover, this cannot be transferred to the new owner. Instead, you should notify the DVLA once you have sold your car. If you had any full months’ outstanding cover, you will receive a car tax refund from the DVLA.

What is the best way to sell your electric car?

There are numerous channels for selling your EV - and the best option will depend on your schedule and priorities:

• webuyanycar: True to our name, we can buy any EV, regardless of its age and condition. We’re the UK’s favourite car buying service, with more than 500 locations across the UK. You’ll benefit from a guaranteed sale, competitive prices, and a fast, convenient service (the average time from quote to sale is under an hour).
• Private selling: By selling your car privately, you could get a great price for your motor. However, you’ll have to take time out of your schedule to advertise your car and arrange viewings.
• Advertising and selling online: If you plan to sell your car privately, you can list your motor on various car selling websites, including Facebook Marketplace, eBay Motors, and Gumtree. Whilst most online buyers are genuine, it’s important to exercise caution to avoid getting caught out by scammers.
• Selling at auction: If you sell at a physical car auction, the organisers will advertise your vehicle and display it before an audience of potential buyers. You could get a great price if the right buyer is in attendance. If you do sell successfully, however, you will have to pay additional fees to the auction house.
• Selling to a dealership: Selling your EV to a dealership can be a good option if you’re keen to get behind the wheel of a newer model quickly. You may be able to trade in your current EV in a part-exchange deal, then drive away from the showroom in a new EV in a matter of hours. Just bear in mind that dealerships are more focused on profit than private sellers, so you might not get the best possible price for your motor.

Can you sell an electric car with a bad battery?

Yes, you have several options for selling an EV with a worn or faulty battery:

• You may still be able to sell privately, but you can expect to attract a smaller pool of prospective buyers.
• Different buyers will have different ideas of what is an acceptable level of battery degradation. Say you have an older EV with a battery that’s degraded to 60% of its original power. This car would be a poor option for someone with a lengthy commute but may be perfectly fine for an older driver who sticks to short, local journeys.
• If the battery is worn or damaged beyond use, you could consider recycling the old battery.
• If the vehicle itself is otherwise in good condition, it could be stripped for useful parts, or repaired to good working order. However, due to the cost of replacement EV batteries, the latter option isn’t usually feasible.

What are the most popular EVs on the UK market?

Here are the most popular EVs on the UK market according to sales data collected by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) throughout 2023:

• Tesla Model Y: 35,889 sold
• MG4 EV: 21,715 sold
• Audi Q4 e-tron: 16,757 sold
• Tesla Model 3: 13,536 sold
• Polestar 2: 12,542 sold
• Volkswagen ID.3: 10,295 sold
• Kia Niro Electric: 10,084 sold
• BMW i4: 8,940 sold
• Volkswagen ID.4: 8,495 sold
• Škoda Enyaq iV: 8,136 sold