Buying a used car usually comes with a familiar checklist.
Mileage. Service history. Condition. Price.
With an electric car, there are a few new questions too. How healthy is the battery? How much range does it still have? What will charging actually cost?
OLX Group’s new report, The EVolution is here, looks at EV adoption across five markets and finds something interesting: as more electric cars enter the second-hand market, better information could become just as important as better technology.
That is also a big part of why Electric EVidence exists. EVs come with questions. The easier those questions are to answer, the easier it becomes to decide whether an electric car makes sense for you.
More used EVs are entering the market
In Europe, around eight in ten people buy their car second-hand. That makes the used market an important part of the EV story, because this is where electric cars can reach a much broader group of drivers.
Used EVs still represent a relatively small part of the market in many countries, but more cars are beginning to reach the end of their first lease or ownership cycle.
Many of those cars started life as company vehicles. After a few years, they return to the market as used cars, often with service histories and remaining warranty coverage. For buyers, that means something simple: more choice is coming.
The battery question is getting easier to answer
For someone looking at a used petrol car, mileage tells part of the story. For a used EV, there is another useful number: battery state of health, or SOH. It shows how much of the battery’s original capacity is still available.
The report identifies uncertainty around battery condition as one of the biggest questions facing used EV buyers. But this is also an area where things are changing quickly.
Battery checks are becoming more common, and from 2027 the EU’s digital battery passport is expected to make battery information more transparent.
OLX marketplaces are already exploring this too. OTOMOTO and La Centrale are working on battery state-of-health information for listings, while Standvirtual’s VerifiCar service can include a battery health check.
In other words, buying a used EV should increasingly involve less guessing and more knowing.
BATTERY REALITY
And the real-world battery story is reassuring
Battery ageing is real. But it is not necessarily as dramatic as people sometimes imagine.
The research referenced in the report found that EV batteries typically lose capacity gradually rather than suddenly. It cites an average degradation rate of around 2.3% per year across a large real-world dataset.
That does not mean every battery will age exactly the same way. Temperature, charging habits and the individual vehicle all matter. But it does mean we have much better evidence today about how EV batteries behave over time.
And that makes the used market easier to understand.
Some EV worries change once you actually own one
There is another interesting pattern in the research. People considering an EV often worry about range, charging and battery life. Existing EV drivers tend to be considerably less concerned about those same things.
In the global driver research referenced by the report, 98% of EV owners said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their cars.
That does not make every concern a myth. Charging access, for example, can still look very different depending on where you live and whether you can charge at home. But it does suggest that experience and good information can change the picture considerably.
This is where Electric EVidence comes in
A report can tell us what is happening across the market. But when you are actually thinking about an electric car, your questions are usually much more everyday.
Should I charge to 100%? How long will the battery last? Can I own an EV without home charging? Is it actually cheaper to run?
That is the gap Electric EVidence is here to help with. We take questions like these and turn the research, data and expert information behind them into answers that are easier to use.
Because making EVs easier to understand is part of making them easier to choose.
Quick Q&A
Questions, answered.
Tap a question for a quick, evidence-based answer.
What does the OLX report cover?
It looks at what is driving EV adoption, what still holds it back, and the role the second-hand market can play across France, Poland, Portugal, Romania and South Africa. It also uses Norway and China for wider context.
Are more used EVs coming to the market?
Yes. More electric company and lease cars are reaching the end of their first ownership cycle and beginning to enter the second-hand market.
What should I know about the battery?
Battery state of health can help show how much usable capacity remains compared with when the battery was new.
Do EV batteries lose capacity over time?
Yes, but usually gradually. The research referenced in the report found average degradation of around 2.3% per year, so battery ageing is typically a slow process rather than a sudden drop.
What makes a used EV easier to choose?
Clear information. Battery state of health, realistic ownership costs, charging options and the car’s condition can all help buyers compare a used EV with more confidence.
A quick reality charge
Better information makes a big difference
The next stage of the EV transition is not only about longer range, faster chargers or new models. It is also about making things clearer.
What does the battery health look like? What will the car cost to own? Where can you charge it? What should you actually worry about?
The more answers buyers have, the less unfamiliar a used EV becomes.
The EVolution is here. And we’ll keep bringing the EVidence.
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