Revealed: The slowest depreciating electric cars

By this time last year, there were almost one million electric cars on UK roads, with 19.7% of new cars sold being electric.

But when buying a new car, be it a combustion-powered model or an EV, depreciation plays a key role in choosing your next car. The last thing anyone wants is to lose more money than they need to on a new car, and for many people it can be a more sensible decision to lease an EV. 

With this in mind, we've put together a list of electric cars that best retain their value, and have included figures based on the trade-in value of the car after covering 36,000 miles. 

MG 4

The entry-level MG 4 SE costs from £26,995, which sounds like good value when you consider its impressive performance and 218-mile range.

It’s believed that the MG 4 SE’s resale value will sit at around £14,995, which means it loses about £12,000 in three years and after 36,000 miles.

BYD Dolphin

BYD landed in the UK last year and so far they’ve managed to offer a pretty stylish SUV, a quirky hatchback and a BMW i4-rivalling saloon car.

After 36,000 miles, the Dolphin is predicted to have a resale value of around £15,000. You get a good range of up to 265 miles, and inside the Dolphin gets the same rotating infotainment screen as the Atto 3 and Seal. 

Jeep Avenger

The Jeep Avenger costs from £34,800 and can travel up to 248 miles on single charge. 

It develops 156bhp when in its sportiest setting and it boasts impressive charging times. After 36,000 miles, your Avenger should retain around 54% of its original value and be worth around £18,792, which is pretty reasonable.

Volkswagen ID 3

Buyers can choose from two ID 3 options today: the Pro and Pro S. A GTX will also be made available in due course. Both the Pro and Pro S are said to return between 49 to 54% of their original value.

If you opt for the 58kWh £37,430 Pro, you’ll see a larger return in three years as it’s claimed to hold the most value. That means it’ll be worth around £20,212 – a price drop of £17,218.

Kia Niro EV

The Korean giant has come far in recent years and offers serious contenders in the EV market.

The Niro has a 285-mile range and is backed by a seven-year warranty for peace of mind. After three years and 36,000 miles, it’s predicted to have a resale value of £21,100 — a price drop of just over £16,000 from the list price.

Cupra Born

If you’re in the market for a sportier version of the Volkswagen ID 3, then you might want to consider a Cupra Born, which starts from £39,015 in V3 trim. 

Look to the future and 36,000 miles later, the Born should be worth around £22,100. This indicates a price drop of around £18,855 and a retained value of 54.1%. 

Toyota bZ4X

You might be tempted to go for the more powerful 218bhp – it's only £2,600 more than the 204bhp guise. The less powerful car has more range, 270 versus 255 miles, and is said to hold between 58 to 61% of its original value after 36,000 miles and three years of ownership.

Opt for the entry-level trim at around £43,000 and your car should be worth around £26,000.

Nissan Ariya 87kWh

Fancy having Nissan’s flagship EV on your driveway? You can choose from two battery options: a 63kWh or an 87kWh, the latter providing more range and power.

After three years and 36,000 miles, prices for the 87kWh are expected to retain 58.6% of their original value and give a resale price of around £26,150.

Skoda Enyaq iV Coupe

When it comes to depreciation, the difference between the Enyaq and Enyaq coupé is roughly 4%, making them both strong performers. The SUV is claimed to retain around 53% over three years and 36,000 miles of ownership, while the coupe will sit around 57%.

Opt for the 85 Edition and this should be worth around £26,470. It’s just a case of whether you prefer the coupe’s aesthetics or the extra 15 litres of boot space offered with the SUV.

Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron

The Sportback is a bit sleeker than the standard Q4 e-tron. Of course, like many Audis, you can spend upwards of £60,000 on the Q4 Sportback e-tron, but if you opt for the £51,775 S Line, its retail value should sit north of £30,000 after three years and 36,000 miles. This means that it’ll lose roughly £24,000.

Kia EV6

It’s stylish, offers up to 328 miles of range, and you won't have to wait long at a public charger thanks to its impressive 350kW DC charging rate.

If you own an EV6 for three years and put 36,000 miles on the clock, it should return between 57 to 59% of its original value. This means that the entry-level ‘Air’ trim should be worth roughly £25,806.

Polestar 2

The Polestar 2 is no longer a new kid on the block as it’s been around for four years; even cars with circa 80,000 miles are fetching £21,000 on the used car market.

Opting for the Long Range twin motor version is said to return the best residual, which should be between 50-53% of its original value. This means that the Polestar 2 should return around £26,475 in around three years of ownership and 36,000 miles.

Tesla Model Y

Prices for the Model Y start at £44,990 for the RWD 283-mile range version and stretch as high as £59,990 for the full-fat Performance variant.

Buy the RWD and in three years and 36,000 miles, you should see a retained value of around 59.8%. That means a price drop of £18,090 and a resale price of £26,900.

Volkswagen ID 4

Like its smaller ID 3 sibling, the ID 4 is claimed to be a strong performer when it comes to 36,000 miles of ownership.

On average, it should retain around 58% of its original value. If the residual value is important, it may be worth considering the entry-level ‘Life’ car as these are said to retain around 62%. This means it should be worth around £28,752 over the same period.

Volkswagen ID Buzz

One of the quirkiest EVs to come to market in recent years is the ID Buzz. It pays homage to the classic Volkswagen camper and comes in an array of vibrant colours to boot. The list price on an entry-level Buzz is currently £59,035.

After 36,000 miles and three years of ownership, it’s predicted to have a resale value of around £35,750, which means it retains 60.6% of its value. 

Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo

Sporty estates can be pretty cool cars, and the Taycan Sport Turismo fits perfectly into that category. Nothing much else comes close to it in terms of both driver enjoyment and resale value.

Every Taycan holds its price well, but the Sport Turismo is said to sit between 62 to 67%. That means in three years and 36,000 miles, it should be worth around £50,000.

Porsche Taycan

While you might want the searing performance of the range-topping Taycan Turbo S, its worth noting that the entry-level RWD car may be the better choice when you decide to move the car on. 

The RWD should retain around 71% of its value in three years and 36,000 miles of ownership, which means it will be worth roughly £56,232. You’ll still get decent performance and a 275-mile range.

Tesla Model X

While not a new car, the Model X deserves a place on our list thanks to its 57-65% retention after three years and 36,000 miles. You can still buy a Model X directly from Tesla, but as of 2023, the marque decided to sell them in left-hand drive only.

The neck-breaking Plaid variant is likely to hold more of its value and will sit between 62 to 65% over the same period. This means a resale value of roughly £60,275 going by a sticker price of £97,205.  

Audi RS e-tron GT

You may be on the fence about whether to choose the RS GT or the Porsche Taycan, but either choice will give you a decent return. The Audi falls slightly behind the RWD Taycan Sport Turismo with a return of around 61.89% after three years and 36,000 miles.

Opt for the GT, and this should sit around 57%. This means it should be worth around £72,428.

Lotus Eletre R

Lotus' new flagship SUV costs from £89,500, but if you're after more performance, the range-topping £120,000 R model is the Eletre to go for. It should retain 62.1% of its original value in three years and 36,000 miles.

That’s a price drop of £45,550, meaning its resale value will be around £74,450.