Finding
EVs still lose value faster than any other segment, but the gap is narrowing
In iSeeCars' 2026 study of 950,000 five-year-old cars, EVs lost 57.2% of their value over five years, against 41.8% for all vehicles and about 35% for hybrids and trucks, down from the EV peak of 67.1% in 2019. The Tesla Model 3 (54.6%) and Porsche Taycan (54.7%) held value best among EVs; the Nissan Leaf (63.1%) lost the most of any vehicle studied.
Three forces set EV resale: new-car price cuts, fast technology turnover, and incentives that lowered new prices but not used ones. With US federal credits gone since September 2025 and measured battery degradation slow, the gap may narrow further. The ElectronsX dataset gives one, three and five-year estimates for 45 models, averaging 59% at five years; the check table compares the dataset with measured values where iSeeCars published them.
Estimates are modeled figures, kept until resale data replaces them. Models whose current record is a newer generation (Chevrolet Bolt, Nissan LEAF, MINI Cooper, XPENG P7) are marked stale. Battery replacement risk, the other large ownership cost, is on Battery Replacement Costs.
Check
Dataset estimates against measured resale
Five-year value loss estimated in the ElectronsX dataset against the value iSeeCars measured for the same model; a positive difference means the dataset is more pessimistic.
| Model | ElectronsX estimate | iSeeCars measured | Difference (points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Kona Electric | 60% | 56.5% | +3.5 |
| Kia Niro EV | 58% | 57.3% | +0.7 |
| Nissan Leaf | 68% | 63.1% | +4.9 |
| Porsche Taycan | 60% | 54.7% | +5.3 |
| Tesla Model 3 | 55% | 54.6% | +0.4 |
| Tesla Model Y | 50% | 57.8% | -7.8 |
Data
Depreciation by model
Share of original price lost after one, three and five years. Stale rows were estimated for an earlier generation.
| Model | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years | Notes | Data status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi e-tron GT | 21% | 43% | 59% | Mass-market luxury segment | stale estimate |
| Audi Q6 e-tron SUV | 25% | 50% | 65% | Launched 2024 on the PPE platform; little resale history yet | stale estimate |
| BMW i4 | 20% | 42% | 58% | Performance EV retains interest | earlier estimate |
| BMW iX | 23% | 47% | 62% | Luxury EV depreciation curve | earlier estimate |
| BYD Atto 3 | 18% | 38% | 54% | Strong global demand | earlier estimate |
| BYD Dolphin | 19% | 40% | 56% | Entry EV segment | earlier estimate |
| BYD Seal | 17% | 36% | 52% | Competitive pricing stabilizes resale | stale estimate |
| Chevrolet Bolt EV | 20% | 42% | 58% | Price cuts affected resale values | stale estimate |
| Citroen e-C4 | 22% | 45% | 61% | Moderate demand segment | earlier estimate |
| Cupra Born | 20% | 42% | 58% | Sport styling helps retention | earlier estimate |
| Fiat 500e | 24% | 48% | 64% | Small niche EV segment | earlier estimate |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | 21% | 44% | 60% | Strong early demand stabilizing | earlier estimate |
| Honda Prologue | 20% | 42% | 58% | New model uncertainty | earlier estimate |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 17% | 36% | 52% | High demand platform | earlier estimate |
| Hyundai IONIQ 6 | 18% | 38% | 54% | Sedan segment slightly weaker | earlier estimate |
| Hyundai Kona Electric | 20% | 42% | 60% | Older platform entering used market | earlier estimate |
| Kia EV6 | 17% | 36% | 52% | Shares strong E-GMP resale | earlier estimate |
| Kia Niro EV | 20% | 41% | 58% | Mainstream compact depreciation | earlier estimate |
| Lucid Air | 26% | 52% | 68% | Low volume luxury volatility | earlier estimate |
| Mazda MX-30 EV | 26% | 50% | 66% | Short range affects resale | earlier estimate; model discontinued |
| Mercedes-Benz EQE | 26% | 50% | 66% | Similar luxury curve | earlier estimate |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS | 27% | 52% | 68% | Luxury sedan depreciation steep | stale estimate |
| MG4 | 20% | 41% | 57% | Strong EU uptake | earlier estimate |
| Mini Cooper SE | 22% | 45% | 60% | Urban niche limits demand | stale estimate |
| NIO ES6 | 20% | 42% | 58% | Battery swap perception mixed | earlier estimate |
| NIO ET5 | 19% | 40% | 56% | Strong sedan demand | earlier estimate |
| Nissan Leaf | 25% | 50% | 68% | Rapid early depreciation historically | stale estimate |
| Peugeot e-208 | 21% | 44% | 60% | Small EV resale curve | earlier estimate |
| Polestar 2 | 22% | 45% | 61% | Brand still establishing resale | stale estimate |
| Porsche Taycan | 23% | 46% | 60% | Brand strength moderates depreciation | stale estimate |
| Rivian R1S | 23% | 46% | 61% | SUV demand helps resale | earlier estimate |
| Rivian R1T | 24% | 48% | 63% | Early adopter market stabilizing | earlier estimate |
| Skoda Enyaq | 19% | 40% | 56% | Strong EU sales | earlier estimate |
| Subaru Solterra | 22% | 45% | 61% | Twin to bZ4X | earlier estimate |
| Tesla Model 3 | 18% | 38% | 55% | High supply volume impacts resale | earlier estimate |
| Tesla Model S | 22% | 45% | 60% | Luxury EV depreciation typical | earlier estimate; model discontinued |
| Tesla Model X | 24% | 48% | 62% | Complex vehicle drives depreciation | earlier estimate; model discontinued |
| Tesla Model Y | 16% | 35% | 50% | Strong demand keeps resale healthy | earlier estimate |
| Toyota bZ4X | 22% | 45% | 61% | Early recall perception impacts resale | earlier estimate |
| Volkswagen ID.3 | 22% | 45% | 62% | EU pricing pressure | earlier estimate |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 21% | 44% | 60% | High volume affects resale | earlier estimate |
| Volvo EC40 | 21% | 42% | 59% | Similar to XC40 | stale estimate |
| Volvo EX40 | 20% | 41% | 58% | Compact luxury EV segment | earlier estimate |
| XPENG G9 | 19% | 40% | 56% | SUV demand helps | earlier estimate |
| XPENG P7 | 20% | 42% | 58% | Premium Chinese EV volatility | stale estimate |
Drivers
What drives EV depreciation
| Driver | Effect on resale |
|---|---|
| New-car price cuts | Tesla's 2023 cuts reset used prices overnight; Chinese price wars (BYD, Geely, Leapmotor) do the same in China |
| Technology turnover | New generations with 800 V charging, larger packs or new software make older cars look dated (XPENG P7, Mercedes EQS facelift) |
| Incentives | US federal credits lowered effective new prices but not used values until they ended on September 30, 2025 |
| Battery confidence | Slow measured degradation supports values; unknown pack health is still the main used-buyer discount |
| Brand exits | Withdrawn models and brands (Polestar in the US after model year 2026) lose dealer support and resale demand |
Sources
Sources and scope
- Scope
- EV Depreciation by Model
- Sources
- iSeeCars five-year depreciation study (March 2026); ElectronsX depreciation estimates; ElectronsX model records
- Updated
- October 2026