BC about to be flooded with used electric vehicles. What to know before buying

Article content

The supply chain dam that held back new car production during the pandemic appears to have burst, and the market is being flooded with used cars, including coveted electric vehicles.

Many of the more than 60 new electric vehicle models that manufacturers are launching to meet government mandates, including British Columbia’s Zero Emission Vehicles Act, will be available within a couple of months. And everything indicates that current electric vehicle owners are changing.

Article content

Article content

The used market “is getting a little flooded right now,” said Sean Thompson, a mechanic and partner at Factor E Motors, a Vancouver repair shop specializing in Teslas. “The price in March can definitely start to see a downward trend.”

Before jumping into the hundreds of used listings on popular platforms like AutoTrader, EV owners and experts advise buyers to familiarize themselves with a specific battery power research checklist when evaluating a purchase. .

New electric vehicles that can cost between $45,000 and more than $100,000, notwithstanding federal and provincial incentives and rebates that subsidize up to $9,000 of the purchase price. Used vehicle buyers can find deals in the $25,000 to $35,000 range.

That $25,000 price tag is more than the typical used gas car people buy, but it represents the “sweet spot” where they can really justify using an electric vehicle and save fuel, said Rysam McIver, general manager of Westwood Honda in Port Moody.

Decide what you need first

Before jumping into what looks like a good deal price-wise, used electric vehicle buyers should know what they need, said Bob Porter, president of the pro-EV Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association. “Do you want to wear it to and from work or to the mall?”

Article content

Article content

Some models, like older Nissan Leaf options, that have shorter-haul ranges may not make sense if you need to make a longer trip regularly, such as from Squamish to Vancouver, or any cross-country road trip. which is better suited to newer models that have a range of more than 300 kilometers.

“And, of course, what’s going to be done about collections, that’s the other big issue,” Porter added. Home charging is the most convenient option, but buyers who can’t do so should be aware of nearby charging infrastructure.

Online and app-based listings such as ChargeHub, PlugShare and EV Connect Canada are useful for finding convenient charging stations, but, as Porter says, they are not advertised with a sign that “you can see a mile away.” distance”.

Get a vehicle history report

Carfax is the most well-known name, but as with gasoline-powered cars, it’s important to be certain about an electric vehicle’s origins, its mileage history, whether it has been in an accident, and what repairs have been made.

“(You) don’t want to know the car came from Quebec and there’s no mileage report,” Porter said. “It’s one more little detail that gives people a little more confidence in what you’re buying.”

Article content

Check the battery status.

According to Thompson, do more research than just what percentage a battery can be charged to, because batteries degrade slowly. Buyers will want to check the internal integrity of the battery packs after checking their range.

“We look for (battery health) and pull data,” Thompson said. “Really, what we want to see as technicians is that no matter how many cells there are in a battery, we want to make sure they’re balanced, with no obvious failures.” He said this is something buyers will need to have a technician look at during an inspection.

Warranties of at least eight years or 100,000 miles are fairly standard, but Thompson said buyers should check during a test drive to see if the battery will start charging at a charging station. For the Chevrolet Bolt in particular, many models from 2017 to 2019 and then from 2020 to 2022 were subject to battery replacement recalls.

Check the electric vehicle computer

Thompson said the computer step is equally important because in electric vehicles, like Teslas, they control almost everything the car does, unlike the modules in gasoline-powered cars.

Article content

“Most computers have a useful life,” Thompson added. “So you want to check the condition and speed of that computer, just like you would if you were buying a used laptop from someone.”

That means making sure firmware and software are up-to-date and can be updated, Thompson said. A computer that hasn’t been updated in a while can be a red flag that a car has been tampered with.

Inspect physical components

A vehicle inspection can confirm wear and tear on an electric vehicle’s engine, drivetrain, tires and everything else that Thompson said could be more expensive to repair in an electric model.

“I would just recommend that you make sure you check the suspension, the brakes and all the traditional (components) of your car to make sure there are no points of failure,” Thompson said.

In that sense, how an electric vehicle has been used is more important than the mileage, Thompson said. Electric vehicles used for ride-hailing services, for example, “take a total beating and those are the ones you really want to avoid as a customer.”

Buyers should also check steering components on older vehicles, says Bruce Stout, veteran EV owner and executive member of the Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association.

Article content

“People start turning the steering wheel without moving,” Stout said. “After a while that causes wear and tear on the steering mechanism. Those would be the main things I look for.

Seek advice

Stout said existing EV owners can be an invaluable resource and promoted VEVA meetings held every Tuesday and on Zoom on Saturday mornings.

“You’ll have a whole host of people who already drive EVs who will be able to tell you some of the dangers and some things to look out for in a particular EV,” Stout said. “That is very important because we have nothing to sell and we will give you free advice.”

[email protected]

x.com/derrickpenner

Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know – add VancouverSun.com and LaProvincia.com to your favorites and subscribe to our newsletters here.

You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber: for just $14 a month, you can get unlimited access to The Vancouver Sun, The Province, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The province.

Article content