Neuartige Energie-Gebrauchtwagen sind das Licht, das Mittelständlern hilft, Geld zu sparen.
Open a used car platform, and labels like "nearly new car" and "realistic range" will greet you. Scroll through social media, and discussions about "how to buy a used new energy vehicle" are always trending.
Nowadays, choosing a used electric vehicle is no longer a niche choice but has quietly become a consensus among more and more people. Behind this choice lies the consumers' wisdom in consumption, as they want to try something new while avoiding unnecessary expenses.
As the penetration rate of new energy vehicles soars, the new car market is competing fiercely in terms of configuration and price, and the "spill - over effect" in the used car market is also magnified accordingly.
Nearly new cars with a service life of one or two years and a mileage of less than 10,000 kilometers still have their batteries within the manufacturer's warranty period, but their prices drop by 30% - 40%. Their cost - effectiveness is like a strong light, precisely hitting the needs of pragmatists.
As a result, more and more commuters, owners of a family's second car, and even thrifty young white - collar workers are starting to regard used new energy vehicles as their "top choice for entry" - spending less money to unlock the full set of benefits such as green license plates, exemption from purchase tax, and low usage costs in advance.
In this way, used new energy vehicles have transformed from being "criticized" in the past to becoming a genuine new trend in the car market.
1. Why are used new energy vehicles suddenly attracting so many fans?
Now that new energy vehicles have become the mainstream choice, they have directly promoted the prosperity of the used car market.
On the one hand, the sharp increase in the number of new energy vehicles in use has led to a significant increase in the supply of used cars in the market. On the other hand, the high cost - effectiveness of used new energy vehicles meets the pursuit of practicality and economy of a large number of consumers.
Driven by these two factors, used new energy vehicles have become the "favorite" of more and more people.
In June 2024, Kara (a pseudonym) bought a 2022 - model NIO ES6 75KWh sports version from a used car platform. "The price of a new car with options was about 420,000 yuan at that time, but I only spent 220,000 yuan. The car was in good condition, with a mileage of only 16,200 kilometers."
Photo/NIO ES6 Source/Screenshot from the Internet, New Energy Outlook
In Kara's words, the cost - effectiveness of used new energy vehicles is "simply amazing".
"Many people are worried about the quality of used new energy vehicles. But based on my personal experience of using the car, the condition is very good, no different from a new car, and there are no problems so far."
There are many netizens who have the same experience as Kara. Search for "used new energy vehicles" on Xiaohongshu, and there are numerous related entries. These include but are not limited to "recommendations for used new energy electric vehicles", "precautions when buying used new energy vehicles", and "how to buy used new energy vehicles reliably".
Photo/Screenshot from Xiaohongshu Source/Screenshot from the Internet, New Energy Outlook
In addition, when you open major used car platforms, labels such as "nearly new car", "realistic range", and "officially certified with no worries about quality" are prominently displayed on many used new energy vehicles.
A series of industry data further confirm the booming used new energy vehicle market.
In the first five months of this year, the trading volume of used new energy vehicles nationwide exceeded 545,000, a year - on - year surge of nearly 30%, and the market penetration rate is approaching 10%. This means that for every 10 used cars sold, one is a new energy vehicle.
Photo/Trading situation of used new energy vehicles from January to May 2025 Source/Screenshot from the Internet, New Energy Outlook
Why has the used new energy vehicle market exploded?
The most direct driving force is undoubtedly the huge price gap, which means that used new energy vehicles offer higher cost - effectiveness.
Industry data shows that as of April 2025, the one - year retention rate of mainstream new energy models in China is as follows: Xiaomi SU7 88.7%, AITO M9 85.2%, Li Auto MEGA 79.3%, Tesla Model X 77.8%, Model 3 75.7%, Zeekr 009 75.5%, while the one - year retention rate of the Tesla Model Y, which is popular among many consumers, is only 71.2%.
Photo/One - year retention rate of mainstream new energy models in China as of April 2025 Source/Screenshot from the Internet, New Energy Outlook
It is not difficult to see that a depreciation of 15% - 30% in the first year has become the norm for new energy models. In the used car market, there are numerous "nearly new cars" with a service life of 1 - 2 years and a mileage of less than 10,000 kilometers.
A used car platform shows that the price of a 2024 - model Xiaomi SU7 rear - wheel drive long - range intelligent driving version with only 100 kilometers on the odometer is 218,800 yuan. A 2025 - model BYD Song PLUS DM - I 160km flagship version with a mileage of 10,800 kilometers costs only 106,600 yuan after subsidies. A 2022 - model Tesla Model Y rear - wheel drive version with a mileage of 41,900 kilometers costs 155,100 yuan after using coupons.
Photo/Screenshot from Guazi Used Cars Source/Screenshot from New Energy Outlook
It should be noted that the new car prices of the above three models reach 245,900 yuan, 165,800 yuan, and 263,500 yuan respectively.
"You can buy a nearly new car at 80% off or even a lower price. You can avoid the curse of 'losing 50,000 yuan as soon as you drive it off the lot' and save a lot of money. Why not?" Kara said.
2. Who will find used new energy vehicles even more appealing?
Of course, although used new energy vehicles are appealing, they are not suitable for everyone.
For example, people who have an "extreme obsession" with the vehicle's condition and cannot tolerate the slightest scratch or sign of use may find even the slightest wear on a used new energy vehicle a "mental burden". Those who are sensitive to technological iterations and always focus on the latest in - car systems and fast - charging technologies, such as "early adopters" and "geeks", are also not suitable for buying used new energy vehicles, as the configurations of used cars are inevitably a bit outdated compared to new ones.
In addition, people who plan to own a car for a long time and have extremely high requirements for range are even less suitable for used new energy vehicles. After all, even if the mileage is low, the natural attenuation of the battery still exists, and the original factory warranty of a new car can provide more protection for this group of people.
However, apart from these situations, if your vehicle needs do not fall into the above categories and you happen to belong to one of the following groups, the appeal of used new energy vehicles will be doubled:
Consumers with limited budgets but a pursuit of quality. For example, Kara mentioned in the above article is a typical example of this group. In the price range of around 200,000 yuan, she didn't want to buy a mass - market model but wanted a more high - end one. Finally, the used NIO ES6 allowed her to enjoy the experiences of high - end cars such as intelligent driving and long - range.
Actually, on used car platforms, there is a wide variety of mid - to high - end used new energy vehicles available for only 150,000 yuan. These include but are not limited to a 2022 - model AITO M7 with 25,500 kilometers, a 2024 - model GAC Trumpchi ES9 PHEV 143km Traveler Max with 13,000 kilometers, a 2024 - model LeDao L60 60kWh rear - wheel drive version with 11,000 kilometers, and a 2024 - model XPeng P7+ long - range Max with 300 kilometers.
Photo/AITO M7 - GAC Trumpchi ES9 - LeDao L60 - XPeng P7+ Source/Screenshot from the Internet, New Energy Outlook
Newcomers to electric vehicles or short - term transition users. Even though the market penetration rate of new energy vehicles has reached over 50%, the number of fuel - powered vehicle users cannot be ignored. When transitioning from fuel - powered vehicles to new energy vehicles, factors such as driving experience, operation methods, and even parking habits will affect the owners' choices.
Therefore, for consumers who are afraid of being unaccustomed to driving an electric vehicle for the first time, used new energy vehicles with good performance but a price of less than 100,000 yuan are a better choice. For example, a 2025 - model Geely Xingyuan 310km youth version with only 100 kilometers on the odometer costs 56,700 yuan. A 2024 - model Wuling Bingo 333km Enjoyment version with 270 kilometers costs 51,200 yuan. A 2024 - model BYD Qin PLUS Glory Edition DM - i 55km Leading version with 650 kilometers costs 57,100 yuan.
Photo/Screenshot from Guazi Used Cars Source/Screenshot from New Energy Outlook
After getting familiar with features such as kinetic energy recovery and range management and then changing the car, you won't lose money even when reselling it. The cost of trial and error is much lower than buying a new car and then trading it in.
Short - distance and high - frequency commuters. If your daily round - trip commute is about 50 - 60 kilometers, and there are public charging stations near your company or home, or it is convenient to install a home charging pile, then a used new energy vehicle with a remaining range of over 300 kilometers will be more than enough. There are more choices in this case, and there is no need to spend extra money on the "ultra - long range" of a new car.
People who use cars purely for commuting, especially the second commuting car for a practical family. This group mainly uses cars for short - distance trips such as grocery shopping, picking up children, and going to the supermarket. Their requirements for the car are simple: it should be able to run, be cheap, and easy to park. Based on these needs, the used new energy vehicles mentioned above that cost less than 100,000 yuan, or around 50,000 yuan, will suffice. They have low charging costs and simple maintenance, and their cost - effectiveness far exceeds that of buying a new car.
3. Avoid these pitfalls, and used new energy vehicles will be truly appealing
From fuel - powered vehicles to new energy vehicles, the maturity of the domestic automobile consumption market has been continuously improving, and the used car industry has also entered a new growth stage. Especially when the market penetration rate of new energy vehicles exceeds 50%, more and more families are including new energy vehicles in their car - buying lists, and this boom has directly promoted the circulation of used new energy vehicles.
Photo/New energy vehicle penetration rate from January to June 2025 Source/Screenshot from the Internet, New Energy Outlook
The high cost - effectiveness and the increasingly rich choice of models have made used new energy vehicles the "favorite" of many consumers.
However, any rapidly developing field is inevitably accompanied by market chaos. For those who want to buy a used new energy vehicle, if they don't do enough research in advance, they are likely to fall into pitfalls.
An industry insider with many years of experience in the automotive industry reminded that many used new energy vehicles labeled as "nearly new cars" in the market are actually inventory cars from car manufacturers or retired rental cars.
"These cars may seem cheap (10% - 15% cheaper than normal used cars