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I'm thinking of going electric...
I am driving a current model Nissan Qashqai purchased new with a 212 registration. It is an SV model and is 1.3 petrol. I have just 9,400 km on the clock. I am thinking about going electric next time and could purchase in 2024, I would probably look at a slightly smaller car in terms of size and I want a reasonable cost to change. I probably wouldn't buy a Nissan Leaf as there is a new model due in 2026. Three quick answer questions (1) What cars would you recommend to suit my needs and (2) When is the best time to change to achieve a maximum trade in value and (3) Does it make sense for me to buy a new or pre-owned electric car in terms of first year depreciation.
Our answer:
Hi Paul,
First car that springs to mind based on what you've said is the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric. The Volkswagen ID.3 is another good option and there will be an updated one here by 2024.
In terms of timings, that's not so easy to predict. Just before the new plate change might work, and certainly in the last few days of a given month as sales people may be trying to hit targets. Aside from that, make sure you focus on the cost to change and not just the amount offered for the trade-in.
Finally, you're right on the depreciation front - new cars lose a lot of their value in that first year and if you don't care whether you're the first owner or not, it can make sense to go for a used vehicle. However, with an electric car, you may struggle to find good supply of one-year-old cars to choose from, as the industry suffered massing shortages last year.
Best of luck with the change - feel free to come back to us if you need anything else.
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