Rising fuel prices are driving demand for used electric cars, whose prices are also starting to increase.

Used electric cars are experiencing a shift in Europe. After several years during which severe depreciation turned many models into real bargains for those looking for a used car and a nightmare for dealers, the market is now behaving very differently. Demand is growing rapidly, especially for cheaper cars.

The root of this change lies largely in the skyrocketing cost of fuels. When filling up the tank becomes an increasingly expensive expense, especially when prices reach 2 euros per liter at gas stations, people look for alternatives, and electric cars have become one that many consumers now desire.

For a long time, one of the main attractions of used electric cars was precisely their depreciation. Significant price cuts on many new models had led to a considerable drop in their residual value, which benefited second-hand buyers but harmed owners who wanted to sell. However, the balance between supply and demand is now starting to change.

Fewer cars available and more buyers

The data from the French portal La Centrale shows how much buyer interest has changed. On September 13, searches for used electric cars increased by 150% compared to February 27, which served as a reference point before the rise in oil prices. What’s most interesting is that this increase in demand comes alongside a significant reduction in available supply.

The phenomenon isn’t limited to searches on the Internet. In August 2026, there were 15,930 transfers of ownership for used electric cars in France, a 32.1% increase from the previous year, while the overall used car market declined by 4.8%. Additionally, 72,244 transactions involving used electric cars were recorded in the second quarter, indicating that this growth isn’t solely due to a temporary spike in inquiries on advertising platforms.

The most affordable models are precisely those attracting the most interest. Buyers are particularly seeking vehicles priced below 15,000 euros, a segment where models such as the Renault Zoe, Peugeot e-208, Fiat 500e, and Dacia Spring are available. The Volkswagen ID.3 is also among the models that generate the greatest interest in the French market.

And here lies one of the most striking changes: it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find certain models at very low prices. The latest report from La Centrale shows that the stock of used electric cars has decreased by 32% in one year. The drop is even more significant for vehicles listed for less than 20,000 euros, whose available stock has fallen by 48%.

The impact is beginning to show directly in prices. The average price of used electric cars reached 25,593 euros in the third quarter of 2026, 2,267 euros higher than a year earlier, representing a 9.7% increase. For smaller models as well, the La Centrale Observatory reports an annual price rise of around 9%.

This is a particularly significant shift after several years when the opposite trend prevailed. The rapid drop in prices of new electric cars put downward pressure on used ones, forcing sellers to adjust their prices to remain competitive. Now, with a more limited supply and rising demand, that trend is starting to reverse.

It is also changing the speed at which these cars are sold. According to data analyzed by CapCar, a year ago, a used electric car took eight more days than an equivalent gasoline model to find a buyer. Currently, the situation has reversed, with electric cars selling about three days faster.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the price increase will persist for long. The French market is still in a transitional phase, and over the next few months, more electric cars from financing contracts, rentals, and corporate fleets should enter the used car market.

Exactly that new supply could help rebalance the market. If enough units from the initial large waves of fleets and leasing contracts enter the market, price pressure might ease, especially for the more common models. For now, however, the situation is very different from just a few months ago: used electric cars are no longer automatically synonymous with steep discounts.