Europe is turning the used electric car market into a huge business: behind it lies a movement that is growing larger by the day.

12/09/2026 14:30

Updated to

12/09/2026 14:30

Electric cars continue to gain ground among new registrations in Europe, but this growth has not yet translated equally into the used car market. In the first half of 2026, fully electric models accounted for 20.7% of new passenger car sales in the European Union, up from 15.6% a year earlier.

This development creates a unique situation when these vehicles enter the used market. Demand is not evenly distributed across countries, and much of the available stock still comes from professional fleets and leasing agreements, driving significant movement of used electric cars between different European markets.

The business is growing faster than the used car market itself

Auto1 is one of the companies that can clearly see this shift. According to Denis Belan, head of its B2B division in Germany, as told to Automobilwoche, the volume of used electric cars sold through the platform in Europe increased by over 200% year-on-year during the second quarter of 2026.

The key lies largely in the origin of those cars. Currently, a significant portion comes from companies, rental firms, and leasing contracts, which can return hundreds of similar units in a very short period. However, when local markets lack sufficient capacity to absorb them, platforms like Auto1, BCA, or Autobid redistribute them to other European countries.

This mechanism explains why around 75% of the electric cars sold by Auto1 end up being exported. It’s not just about moving cars from large markets to smaller ones, but also about continuously adjusting supply and demand between countries with vastly different rates of electrification and used car markets.

Spain is among the markets that receive the most used electric cars

France, Spain, and the Netherlands are among the top destinations for these vehicles under this initiative. Portugal and Romania also stand out, while Poland and Hungary are among the top ten largest markets, indicating the rapid growth of used electric cars in Central and Eastern Europe.

The differences between countries remain significant. Some markets have a high supply from professional fleets, while others have a greater capacity to absorb those used vehicles. This imbalance is making cross-border trade increasingly important in determining prices and the flow of cars into the market.

The structure of the supply itself should also change in the coming years. Auto1 predicts that by 2030, electric vehicles from private owners will start to play a bigger role, as these owners typically keep their vehicles longer than companies do. Until then, leasing returns and fleet renewals will continue to be particularly significant.

The result is a second-hand market that is increasingly untied from national borders. With the growing presence of new electric vehicles in Europe and still uneven demand across countries, internal exports are becoming a key tool to distribute inventory and prevent excessive concentrations of certain models in a single market.