Lowest to highest: every used EV you can buy in NZ in 2020

Sunday, 3 May 2020

Thinking about making the switch to an EV? Well here is every new one available in New Zealand.

If you're considering jumping to electric power, but don't want to go the new car route (although you can check out 'Lowest to highest: every new EV you can buy in NZ in 2020' by clicking here), there are a few things you should consider first.

A quick glance at Trade Me reveals that, perhaps unsurprisingly, the best option for those on a budget is a first-generation Nissan Leaf. It's common to find early models for less than $10k. However, these models usually have well-used batteries, which is expressed in 'state of health' (SoH) or, in the Leaf's case, bars.

According to Flip the Fleet, SoH is an estimation of how much charge the battery can hold compared to when it was first manufactured. A brand new car will then have 100 per cent SoH. It relates to how far you can drive between charges, with a lower SoH resulting in less range. Bars are a visual representation of SoH, seen on the dash. More is better, with a max of twelve.

The second-hand market is a option for those wanting an electric vehicle and don't need the latest and greatest.

There is a lot more information along with handy graphs on the Flip the Fleet website. Worth checking out if a Leaf is high on your EV list.

When commercial fleets like this get replaced, the outgoing models hit the second-hand market, creating more options for regular consumers.

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The next most popular option is the BMW i3. These are a bit more expensive, starting at close to $30k, which would also get you a near-new Leaf. But if you prefer an upmarket approach over value, the i3 is a good bet.

The used market has quite a few options now, including cheap commuters as well as high performance SUVs.

Again, battery health will be your first port of call. This goes for any second-hand EV, really, given there's no combustion-powered back-up to get you home in a pinch. That said, the i3 REX does come with a little 647cc motorbike engine acting as a range extender, which will need an oil and filter change every two years or so. A good idea would be get a battery scan done at a BMW dealership.

Of course, the big name in the EV world is Tesla and, with the Model 3 going on sale last year, buyers now have the option of buying the badge for less than $100k. However, that only gets the standard or long range Model 3 which may not scratch the performance itch for some.

Looking at Trade Me reveals a handful of Model S from around 2015 going for around the same price, most of which being the P85 model. These offer 350kW/600Nm, enough grunt to send the sedan to 100kmh in a claimed 4.4 seconds. Both the older Model S and the entry Model 3 offer a range of around 400km but the 3 loses the power game by around 150kW.

It really depends on personal preference here. Want more space and a more conventional interior? Check out the S. After the newest thing for $100 grand and don't mind eschewing the entire dashboard for a massive central screen? The 3 is for you.

There are quite a few other EVs on Trade Me too, if those aren't tickling your fancy. There are around 900 EVs for sale, including electric Golfs, Renault Zoes and the Jaguar I-Pace.

What if you do want to convert to an EV but are worried about those aging batteries not giving you confidence in the range of your car? That's perfectly understandable but remember there are new charge points going up all the time. Buying a car with 100km of range might sound like a bad idea but if your main vehicle usage revolves around the daily commute or ferrying kids around town, 100km is usually enough.

Just consider what your usage would be before pulling the trigger and, if you're worried, get the battery scanned. It's the electric vehicle equivalent of a pre-purchase test.

Something else to think about is the electric vehicles currently forming part of commercial fleets. Air New Zealand has a bunch of BMW i3s that it may look at offloading in the near future and some official bodies like Auckland Transport as well as banks like Westpac use EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq Electrics as company vehicles. These will hit the second-hand market eventually and help drop costs even further. If you're willing to wait, that is.

So what is actually available in the second hand market and how much are they going for?

Your choice of used EVs starts with the cheapest of the Nissan Leafs at just $7,000 and will top out with near-new high-spec stuff like a Tesla Model X or Jaguar I-Pace still asking well over $100,000, but that does give you a wide range in between:

Nissan Leaf - $7,000 to $68,000, range between 117 and 360km depending on model and year when new.
Mitsubishi i-MiEV - $10,000 to $15,000, range between 100 and 160km depending on model when new.
Mitsubishi Minicab MiEV - $13,000 (only one on sale at the time of writing), range up to 100km when new.
Smart FourTwo EV - $17,000 to $20,000, range between 110 and 140km depending on year.
Nissan e-NV200 - $23,000 to $32,000, range up to 300km depending on year when new.
Renault Zoe - from $26,500 to $60,000, range between 100km and 300km depending on year and model.
BMW i3/ - $29,000 to $82,000, range between 100 and 302km depending on model and year.
Renault Kangoo - from $35,000 to $44,000, range up to 200km.
Hyundai Ioniq Electric - from $40,000 to $67,000, range up to 220km.
Volkswagen e-Golf - from $45,000 to $70,000, range around 220km.
Kia Niro EV - from $66,000 to $76,000, range between 289 and 450km depending on model.
Tesla Model S - from $75,000, range between 335 and 540km depending on year and model.
Tesla Model 3 - from $99,000 (one on sale at time of writing), range up to 600km.
Tesla Model X - from $115,000 to $175,000, range between 320km and 507km, depending on year and model.
Jaguar I-Pace - from $140,000 (only used model on sale at the time of writing), range up to 470km.

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