How you view the second-hand market for electric cars might depend on whether you're a glass half-empty or glass half-full sort of person. Or, perhaps, whether you're looking to sell an electric car you bought new or pick up a used bargain.
Take this latest addition to the Autocar test fleet: a 'used' Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo from its maker's approved used scheme. It's an early 23-plate car that arrived with us with just under 9000 miles on the clock and a known ownership history (full disclosure: it's been well used on Porsche's press fleet).
Had you bought this car new in 2023 it would have cost £90,438. Now? Its value at the time of handover is about £68,000.
Given Porsche's reputation for robust used values (a hybrid Panamera of similar age and mileage and which cost less initially is priced in the mid-£70k region), that's probably a shock to many, especially those who bought a Taycan outright or on PCP.
But for savvy used buyers it represents a comparative bargain route into ownership of not only a Porsche but also one of our favourite electric cars.
Granted, for a similar outlay you could have a brand-new Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, but really, how many thousand drive modes and settings do you want when you can have an EV dripping in Porsche's signature sheen?
There are many reasons why the used values for most electric cars (sharp devaluation isn't limited to the Taycan by any means) have struggled.
For one, the ZEV mandate requiring manufacturers to sell more EVs has put pressure on prices when new (albeit often hidden using offers and incentives), while any used EVs manufacturers sell through their official schemes don't count towards those targets.
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Well, Mr James Atwood. Are you trying to gain Porsche's favour by writing this article?
Yes, I agree that Tycan is a great car, but you you have ignored the fact that if you needed to sell the car on, you would lose another £20,000 instantly if you sold it through the likes of webuyanycar.com, could you also forgot to mention the fact that Porsche authorised dealers will likely only to take the car back if you want to part exchange it against another EU fee, as I have heard from several sources, they are very reluctant to take the Tycan in part Exchange against new petrol, or even diesel vehicles, as they have so many used Tycans n stock.
What a nasty looking car, but then of course it's a Porsche so it fits in quite nicely with the rest of there rip-off range!
I guess you don't understand value. Porsche make good products, and you pay for that. Or not!
The sinking values for Taycans on the used market are very much an anomaly as far as Porsche are concerned, and few who took out a PCP on one will be bothered by that. Most Porsches hold their value very well.
It's not just Taycans it's Porsche Panameras too that suffer unPorsche like deprication. The ICE Turismo was so bad they dropped it and the deprication at the time for that ICE was horrific.
Porsche UK dealer network: "Don't send me ANY more used Trashcans - forecourts are full, overflow storage is full, I'm not renting any more space, their values are falling out of bed, it's a bloodbath. No."
Porsche HQ: "Hi James, I've got an idea for a story for you..."