In the last 12 months, we’ve seen a handful of new pure-EVs appear on our new car market, including first attempts from luxury marques Jaguar and Audi.
Even MG, renowned for its English sports cars and now under Chinese ownership, exhausted its 50 pre-order allocation slots in New Zealand for the new ZS EV SUV. Prices start from $49,990, making it our cheapest new battery-only EV.
Ford announced its Mustang-branded Mach-E SUV at the LA Auto Show late last year and Volkswagen is on a mission to promote EVs with its ID model line.
With more manufacturers jumping on board, and new models launching every few months, more EVs are emerging in the used car market. Here are some used examples we found.
Hyundai Ioniq (2017)
Cost: $43,995
Mileage: 22,052km
When the Ioniq was released, it was Hyundai’s first EV. It was good value and maintained a conventional feel you’d probably expect from a “regular” Hyundai.
The entry model is packed with technology including EBD, Brake Assist, stability control and seven airbags. It also features Smart Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist and allows smartphone connectivity via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Performance is adequate for a daily driver, with 88kW/295Nm from the direct drive electric motor.
There are good examples on the used market but, due to the Ioniq’s relatively low price from new, they haven’t lost too much value.
BMW i3 (2017)
Cost: $33,500
Mileage: 35,500km
The BMW i3 REx (for Range Extender) won the NZ Car of the Year award in 2015. Even today, it still looks like a concept car thanks to its unique design and innovative modular carbon fibre reinforced plastic construction. Its door panels are made from hemp which, mixed with plastic, help lower panel weight by 10 per cent.
The standard i3 is no slouch — producing 125kW/250Nm. It also boasts a 0-100km/h time of 7.4 sec, and was capable of a pure-electric 160km range when new (supplemented by a petrol generator in the REx version that gives the same distance again).
This model would be a good choice for a compact quirky city car to get from A to B.
Tesla Model X 75D (2017)
Cost: $106,000
Mileage: 58,938km
The Model X was the first SUV vehicle offered by Tesla and instantly captured the attention of the public due its elaborate “Falcon” rear doors.
The Tesla Model X 75D was also the most powerful model we looked at, with 193kW/329Nm.
We found a used NZ-new Model X 75D with a host of upgrades including an updated paintjob, 22in Onyx Black wheels and seven seats. The original buyer had also opted for Tesla’s Autopilot software.
These upgrades significantly increase the value of the vehicle, which is great for used car buyers.
VW e-Golf (2019)
Cost: $51,900
Mileage: 4690km
The e-Golf boasts some impressive safety technology such as crash avoidance with autonomous braking, cross traffic monitoring and even driver attention detection which identifies poor concentration and provides a five-second acoustic warning as well as an optical alert. These aids helped it achieve a five-star ANCAP safety rating.
Like the Ioniq, the e-Golf is front-wheel drive and has similar power with outputs of 100kW/290Nm.
The model we found had extremely low kilometres and would be worth a look if you are looking for a near-new European EV with an enticing suite of modern technology and assistance features.