The best used electric car bargains to snap up now

This wouldn’t be a list of electric cars without a Tesla somewhere in the mix. The recent arrival of a facelifted Model 3 has helped soften values for the old car, although in terms of looks and driving experience, there’s very little difference between the two. 

That means composed and capable handling, a cushioned ride (some low-speed stiffness aside) and enough performance to keep most adrenaline junkies happy. 

Tesla’s use of the over-the-air software updates means many electrical niggles can be quickly resolved, although squeaky trim and inconsistent panel gaps betray the brand’s build quality issues. 

That said, the Model 3 is generally reliable, while the brand’s battery tech results in longer cell life than most. 

You can pay as little as £13,500 for a standard model, but we’d stretch to the extra £1500 or so the Long Range demands because it gets you a claimed range of 348 miles (just over 300 miles in reality). Either way, you’ll get access to the firm’s excellent Supercharger network.

When is a secondhand car actually brand new? When it’s a Fisker Ocean. The troubled American firm had only just launched in the UK when funding issues forced it to suspend production. 

As a result, Fisker has slashed prices, with buyers able to bag a barely used, delivery-mileage example of the novel Ocean for around £25,000, which is roughly £10,000 less than it would cost new. 

For that, you get a single 282bhp motor and a 73kWh battery that enables a claimed 288 miles between recharges. Deft driving dynamics, eye-catching looks and a spacious well-equipped interior add to the Ocean’s appeal.

Spend an extra £5000 or so and you can get a Hyper Range version with a few thousand miles on the clock that’ll cover a realistic 400 miles on a charge. 

There is one massive caveat, though: embattled Fisker has said it may not be able to offer comprehensive after-sales services. 

One of our favourite EVs when new, the electric Jaguar makes an equally compelling choice as a used car. 

It's been around for several years now, which means prices of this fast and fleet-footed big cat have now dropped to £15,000. 

For that outlay, you get a muscular 395bhp twin-motor four-wheel-drive set-up, plus a hefty 90kWh battery that’ll give you a slightly disappointing usable range of around 250 miles (295 miles is claimed). However, the upside is stonking straight-line pace and typical Jaguar dynamics that manage to blend invigorating handling with hushed refinement and a plush ride. 

The I-Pace is also spacious and retains the brand’s delightfully upper-crust interior ambience. Overall quality is high, but electronic glitches have blighted the Jag from new, so check any potential purchase for onerous warning lights.

Arguably ahead of its time, the innovative BMW i3 is an EV that’s as interesting to own as it is cheap to run. 

Underpinned by strong and light carbonfibre-reinforced plastic architecture and clad in distinctive composite bodywork, the i3 is surprisingly light for an electric car (it tips the scales at under 1200kg). 

Its rear-mounted 168bhp motor serves up zippy performance while the skinny-tyred handling has enough baked-in BMW driver appeal to keep things fun. Then there’s the boldly styled and neatly packaged interior that’s crammed with sustainably sourced materials. 

This pioneering approach to the car’s design and engineering means that the i3 already has the makings of a modern classic, while prices starting at under £6000 make it an affordable choice too. 

The only downside is that the small 21.5kWh battery on early cars means a realistic range of only 80 miles or so (BMW claimed 100 miles).

Provided you’re not planning to do many high-mileage drives in your EV, the quirky Mazda MX-30 makes plenty of secondhand sense. 

Even when new, the compact crossover had a paltry 124 miles of claimed range from its 35.5kWh battery, which today translates to around 100 miles of reliable range. Then there’s the rear-hinged 'suicide' rear doors, which are more of a gimmick than a practicality aid, plus rear-seat space is marginal for adults. 

Yet for short hops or second-car duties, the Mazda’s incisive handling makes it one of the more engaging EVs to drive. It’s also well built and lavishly equipped. 

Moreover, the misunderstood Mazda has suffered more from depreciation than small car alternatives, such as the Mini Electric, meaning a three-year-old example can be yours for little more than £10,000.

If you’re looking for the cheapest electric car on the secondhand market, then the Leaf should be at the top of your shopping list. 

The electric family car pioneer has been around for the best part of a decade and a half now, with the result that you can pay as little as £2000 for an early example. Of course, at this end of the market, you won’t get much range for your cash and examples fitted with a 24kWh battery deliver a realistic 80 miles of range (well down on the official 109 miles). 

Yet treat the Nissan as a cheap commuter car or school-run hack and you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank. Not only will ‘fill-ups’ cost you less than with an ICE alternative, but the Leaf is also proving to be a durable and robust long-term proposition, requiring only routine maintenance and the replacement of the usual consumables.

Living in the shade of its more fashionable and famous namesake (the Hyundai Ioniq 5), means the Ioniq is a bit of a bargain buy. 

It’s not the most glamorous or invigorating set of wheels you’ll ever buy, but as a sensible, low-cost and hassle-free runaround, it takes some beating. 

The relatively modest 38.3kWh battery’s stamina is aided by excellent aerodynamics that allow the Hyundai hatch to squeeze a claimed 193 miles (expect around 165 miles day to day) from a charge, while Premium trim is very well equipped. 

Just under £9000 will secure the keys to a 2020 example with around 50,000 miles on the clock and (crucially) the balance of the Korean firm’s generous five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty.

With family car icons such as the Beetle and Golf on its books, Volkswagen knew its first bespoke EV hatchback had some big boots to fill. And while the ID 3 probably won’t be held in such high regard as its ancestors, it makes a solid and sensible used choice. 

Being designed from the ground up as an EV using the brand’s MEB platform (rear-mounted motor and battery under the floor), the VW is roomy and brisk, even in entry-level 168bhp guise.

It’s not quite as fun as its rear-drive layout might have you believe and some of the cabin ergonomics will make you want to set fire to the car (the unlit touch-sensitive temperature controls being the biggest faux pas), but a little over £12,000 will get you a three-year-old example with the smallest, 58kWh battery.

That’s still good enough for a claimed 265 miles (roughly 230 miles in real-world use). The bigger, 77kWh battery delivers a realistic 300 miles between top-ups, but currently commands a hefty £6000 premium, which means it doesn’t offer nearly as much value for money.