Even if many of us may end up overpaying for our vehicles for the foreseeable future, it’s a promising sign that drivers are investing in renewable forms of personal transportation.
Used EVs are pricier now, thanks to microchip shortages
This is surprising, considering he had about 20,000 miles on the car, but used vehicle prices, especially for EVs, which are almost always more expensive, have increased by close to 40% since March of 2021. Thanks to microchip shortages, which have affected carmakers’ ability to crank out vehicles, EVs have skyrocketed in price. With gas prices surging as well, they’re quickly becoming a preferred alternative to gas-powered cars.
The current state of the used car market
As of 2022, one-third of used EVs on the market are three years old or younger, and are selling for nearly as much as they were worth new.
This is partially due to COVID-19’s effect on manufacturing plants’ ability to produce vehicles, which meant that microchips weren’t being purchased by carmakers during the hiatus.
But companies also didn’t think to keep purchasing them in excess for when the manufacturing plants kicked back into gear, meaning that most car companies were left with low inventory, which hurt their sales. But most importantly, consumers are left with high price tags that make it hard to find a vehicle they can afford.
New gas-powered car prices are going down—but not EVs
For the time being, second-hand EVs might be the way most people find themselves trading their gas-powered cars for an eco-friendly set of wheels.
EV prices might be high—but Jerry can help you keep your insurance rates low