Is it safe to buy a used electric car? Experts weigh in

Last week, the Electric Vehicle Association organized an online seminar on what to consider when buying a used electric vehicle. Here are some tips that may be useful to keep in mind.

03.11.2026 10:16

The new car market is dominated by electric vehicles, and the used car market is also changing.

– Currently, nearly one in three used cars in Finland are electric. There are 18,500 used electric vehicles out of a total of 64,000 used cars to choose from, said Ståle Frydenlund of the Electric Vehicle Association to the participants in the online seminar.

He was joined by lawyer Emil Morgenlie Skei, who has extensive experience in car-related matters. Skei works at the law firm Molteberg Nilsen, which collaborates closely with the Electric Vehicle Association and provides members with legal assistance and valuable member benefits.

Feel free to try Elbilvelgeren when looking for a new car. Now you can choose to search for used cars and filter by your needs:

How risky is it to buy a used electric car from an individual?

Skei explained that if you buy a used electric car from a private seller, the purchase is regulated by the sales law, which provides an absolute two-year warranty period if anything turns out to be different from what was agreed upon.

If you buy from a dealer, the consumer sales law applies, offering you stronger protection. Dealers have a greater obligation to provide information to you as the buyer, along with a five-year warranty period.

Private purchases can still be a good option, the lawyer said, as you might get a better price, but it’s important to be aware that you bear a larger share of the risk yourself.

“If the car I really want is sold by a private person, I would buy it,” said Skei.

However, he advised taking time and conducting thorough investigations before making the purchase.

Some tips were:

Get written documentation. Ensure that battery status, previous repairs, and warranty terms are clearly specified in the contract.

Ask for a service history.

Obtain a recent condition report.

Thoroughly test drive the vehicle.

If towing capacity, payload, or other specifications are important to you, the lawyer also recommended checking those before buying.

– Don’t blindly trust what’s stated in the Finn.no ad. It’s better to uncover defects before rather than after purchase.

Check the battery

Batteries in electric vehicles have generally proven to perform well, but that doesn’t mean the battery in the specific vehicle you’re considering is in optimal condition.

Therefore, Ståle Frydenlund from Elbilforeningen recommended a battery health test as close to the purchase date as possible.

– Used car ads usually state the car’s range from when it was new. A used battery may have lower capacity. A battery test can provide you with better information about the battery’s actual condition.

Members of the Electric Car Association receive a discount on the vehicle inspection, which includes a battery test:

Difference between warranty and complaint

It is also important to distinguish between warranty and complaint.

A warranty is an agreement from the manufacturer or seller, offering additional protection beyond legal rights. A complaint is a legally guaranteed right that applies regardless of the warranty.

Therefore, the expiration of the warranty does not necessarily mean you have no rights if a serious defect occurs.

So, if you discover a defect after purchase, the advice given in the online seminar was simple:

• Report the issue as quickly as possible; don’t wait while trying to figure out if it’s covered under warranty, suggests Skei.
• First, contact the seller in writing. After that, you can investigate the warranty and other options to have the issue fixed.

Upcoming web seminar: How to handle winter with an electric car

Is this your first winter as an electric car owner, or are you just curious about how to maximize range in cold weather?

Then you should attend the upcoming web seminar on Tuesday, November 17th. Invitations will be sent by email to all members next week.

Are you not a member of the Electric Car Association? Sign up here:

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