Sales of used electric cars rose a massive 46% in 2025, with just under 275,000 secondhand EVs changing hands during the year.
The number represents significant growth as the supply of used electric cars increases each year, but it’s still a fraction of the overall used car market at just 3.5% of overall sales. New EVs took a 23.4% share of the market in 2025 by comparison.
Despite electric cars taking an ever increasing chunk of the new car market, the sales numbers take a little while to filter down through to the secondhand forecourt as buyers will typically hang on to their brand new cars for up to three years after purchase.
According to the SMMT’s figures, the Tesla Model 3 was the most popular used EV on the market, representing nearly 10% of all secondhand electric car sales.
The Nissan Leaf was in second place, with just over half of the Model 3’s sales, closely followed by the Model Y, Kia Niro and Volkswagen ID.3.
The Model 3 went on sale in the UK in 2019 and there are some great bargains to be had with the car, we think it’s a great used purchase. You can read our secondhand review of the Model 3 here. The Nissan Leaf has been on sale a lot longer, since 2011, and is probably the cheapest way into secondhand electric driving, but you’ll want to check that the battery is in good condition before taking the plunge.
The total used car market was up 2.2% in the year, with 7.8 million cars finding new homes. Plug-in and hybrid models also rose strongly, with electrified models representing almost one in every 10 used sales according to the figures from car industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
The Ford Fiesta remained the most popular secondhand model on the market, with over 300,000 sales making the Fiesta market bigger than the EV one.
SMMT boss Mike Hawes welcomed the figures, saying: “The record number of buyers making the switch signals growing confidence in zero and ultra-low emission motoring. Maintaining this momentum, however, and driving the fleet renewal needed to decarbonise our roads at pace, must start with ensuring a strong and sustainable new car market.”
