Tesla's Model 3 remained at the top of the most popular used electric vehicles (EVs) in the US last year, with the Model Y in second place.
Other Tesla vehicles, such as the S and X, fell in the rankings as more affordable EV models gained ground.
Last year, Tesla took the top four spots with the 3, Y, S, and X, respectively.
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As electric vehicle adoption increased in the U.S., buyers sought out more affordable used models.
Tesla 's Model 3 accounted for 34.9% of used electric car sales in 2023 (vehicles 1 to 5 years old). The Model Y was second with 11.9% of the share.
The Chevy Bolt EV climbed four spots to third, surpassing the Model S and X with 6.9% of the market.
At the same time, the Nissan LEAF was fourth with 6.2% of used electric car sales in the US.
Although the Chevy Bolt and Nissan LEAF are two of the most affordable electric cars in the US, both are set to be replaced.
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GM (General Motors) stopped building the Bolt EV at the end of the year with plans for a new model in 2025. (You can still get the Bolt for under $20,000.) Nissan's next-generation LEAF will be released next year. With a complete redesign, it will be closer in style to the Ariya, Nissan's electric SUV.
Tesla 's Model S was the fifth most popular, with 5.6% , down from 9.8% in 2022. The Model X was sixth with 5.5% , down from 7.7% last year.
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The rest of the most popular used electric cars remained the same, with the Ford Mustang Mach-E in seventh place (4.6%), the Audi e-tron in eighth (2.9%), the Porsche Taycan in ninth (2.4%) and the Volkswagen ID.4 in tenth place (2.2%).
More used electric cars are on the road.
The U.S. just broke another record, with electric vehicle sales expected to make up about 8% of total sales. Next year, it's expected to be about 10%, according to Cox Automotive.
Cox said the used electric vehicle market is expected to be the fastest growing segment of the wholesale/used vehicle market.
Most automakers have seen record EV sales this year, with demand surging. Tesla hit its target, delivering more than 1.8 million electric vehicles last year.
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Ford said it was the second-best-selling EV brand in the U.S., with 72,608 electric models sold. The F-150 Lightning was the best-selling electric truck, while the Mustang Mach-E was the second-most popular electric SUV.
GM's Chevy Bolt had a record year with over 62,000 units sold in 2023. Meanwhile, Hyundai and Kia both posted records last year. Hyundai sold nearly 47,000 IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 EVs last year, while Kia EV6 sales reached nearly 19,000.
With electric vehicle sales on the rise, that means there will be more used options. Karl Brauer, executive analyst at online automotive research firm iSeeCars, said: “Without significant updates to Tesla’s most expensive vehicles, they are likely to continue to fall.”
Tesla is updating the Model 3. The refreshed Model 3 has been spotted testing in the United States and is expected to hit the market soon. This could further boost used Model 3 sales.
Source: electrek
