Electric vehicles have been in the news a lot in Canada lately. This is mainly because the federal EV incentive program that has been making electric cars more affordable is on hiatus and may be closed indefinitely. The provincial rebate program in Quebec is also winding down. This means all-electric new cars across Canada are about to get a lot more expensive, especially in the places where they’ve seen the most uptake.
That doesn’t mean EVs aren’t still a good choice for people ready to give up on gas, though, especially in provinces with low electricity rates like Quebec and British Columbia. If you’d like to give electric driving a try but also want to save money, perhaps it’s time to consider buying a used EV. There’s more selection on the used market in recent years thanks to increased uptake. And just like gas-powered cars, the value of EVs depreciates over time, so buying used lets the first owner take on that cost.
Below, you’ll find 10 EVs you can buy used in Canada for less than $30,000. Naturally, there’s more selection in some parts of the country than others, particularly in Quebec and B.C. where rebates have been high until recently. While some offer modern safety features and driver assistance technologies such as adaptive cruise control, very few of the cars listed below are available with all-wheel drive (AWD). Be sure to read to the end of this article for some frequently asked questions about buying used EVs and what to look for as you search.
The Best Used Electric Cars in Canada
- Nissan Leaf
- Mitsubishi i-MiEV
- Smart ForTwo Electric
- Chevrolet Spark EV
- Chevrolet Bolt EV
- Ford Focus Electric
- Kia Soul EV
- Volkswagen e-Golf
- BMW i3
- Hyundai Ioniq Electric
- Tesla Model 3
- Hyundai Kona Electric
- Honourable mention
- FAQs
Nissan Leaf
It’s no surprise that the first EV to go into mainstream mass production is also one of the most widely available and affordable on the used car market. The Nissan Leaf first appeared on dealership lots for the 2011 model year, and it’s not unusual to see plenty of early first-generation examples in used vehicle listings across the country at a variety of price points, even at times below $10,000. Yes, you’ll have to accept the rather goofy looks and spaceship-like controls that were the norm before the second generation debuted for 2018. The 160 kilometres of range from a full charge of the battery pack in those early model years is far below modern standards and reportedly difficult to attain in typical Canadian conditions. There’s also some concern in the EV community about how much longer the CHAdeMO charging standard used by the Leaf will be available at public charging stations. But for an owner with a home charging station and a short daily commute, an affordable Leaf could make a great entryway to electric power.
Nissan Leaf Overview
Mitsubishi i-MiEV
The Mitsubishi i-MiEV was one of the more maligned EVs of its day. Not only is it puzzling to pronounce — Mitsubishi literature spells out the correct pronunciation as EYE-meev — it’s also very small and sort of goofy in the eyes of North American drivers. Its 66 hp motor and 135 km of range didn’t match up to its $32,000-plus price tag when it was new. That said, every single one that’s still around is selling for less than $10,000 on the used market, which might be the right price for a driver with a tolerance for frequent stints at the charger. Like the Nissan Leaf, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV uses the CHAdeMO charging standard for which public charging isn’t as widely available.
Mitsubishi i-MiEV Overview
Smart ForTwo Electric
RIP Smart, the brand North America wasn’t ready for. These diminutive two-seaters stood out for their city-friendly footprint available in coupe and cabriolet body styles and, beginning in 2012, an all-electric powertrain. The 135 to 155 km of range offered at various points in its life cycle wasn’t enough to inspire a stampede of buyers at the time. Today’s drivers looking for an emissions-free driving experience and urban-friendly tiny car might consider the Smart ForTwo Electric to be just the ticket. Our research turned up examples for sale via CarGurus ranging from roughly $8,000 to $12,000 for earlier model years — and occasionally less for higher-odometer examples — to just under $18,000 for cars from the later model years between 2016 and 2018.
Chevrolet Spark EV
The itty-bitty Chevrolet Spark has been discontinued, but even some of the keenest observers weren’t aware that Chevy ever offered an electric version. It was a fleet-exclusive product for two years until it finally hit the retail market for the 2016 model year. With 131 kilometres of range, 140 horsepower, and 327 pound-feet of torque, it was predicted to do well with everyday consumers. However, its limited availability and pre-rebate pricing of more than $30,000 turned it into a bust. Today, used examples can be found with prices hovering in the $8,000 to $10,000 range on average.
Chevrolet Spark EV Overview
Chevrolet Bolt EV
We’re pleasantly surprised to see the first-generation Chevrolet Bolt is now consistently turning up in the CarGurus.ca used car listings for less than $20,000. In terms of user-friendliness and bang for your buck, even the first Bolts were among the best EVs from that early crop. With an estimated 383-kilometre range when new and a fantastic driver interface that provided more information than many drivers knew what to do with, it was an underappreciated early triumph for electric cars. Expect to pay roughly $15,000 to $20,000 for a 2017 to 2020 Chevrolet Bolt on today’s used car market. As an added bonus, some later-model Bolts are starting to show up in the $25,000 range.
Ford Focus Electric
Relatively speaking, you’ll find plenty of Ford Focus Electrics on the CarGurus.ca used car listings. They were a popular option among energy-conscious consumers during the roughly six-and-a-half years they were in production. This is in part because they looked a lot like the rest of the ordinary Ford Focus hatchbacks that were out on the roads at the time. The 2012 model year was the first, which launched with 143 hp, 184 lb-ft of torque, a range of 154 kilometres, and a pre-incentive starting price of almost $42,000. A Ford Focus Electric owner can expect to fetch anywhere from $9,000 to $14,000 or more for a used one today, depending on odometer reading and condition.
Ford Focus Electric Overview
Kia Soul EV
The boxy but lovable Kia Soul EV crossover is another long-time mainstay in Canada’s electric vehicle market, meaning that there are plenty floating around to be bought used. The 2015 model year was the first to hit our shores, and while its pricing ranged from $35,000 to $38,000 new at the time, there were robust provincial incentives available. Power figures measured up at 109 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque, and the earliest versions had 149 kilometres of range before the long-range versions came to market later on. Although it’s considered a small crossover, it’s the closest thing to an electric SUV on this list for now. For cars in this specification, which ran until model year 2019, buyers cruising the used market can find prices anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000, with some later-model Souls coming in below $30,000 as well. Note that early Kia Soul EVs used CHAdeMO ports for charging, which are becoming less common among public fast chargers.
Kia Soul EV Overview
Volkswagen e-Golf
Volkswagen’s e-Golf was a car sold before its time. Everything about it seemed to hit the right marks. It offered 198 kilometres of range, 134 horsepower and 214 lb-ft of torque from the single electric motor, and most importantly, it looked just like any other Golf. Despite this, its run in Canada didn’t make it to four years as the automaker made room for its new generation of ID electric products. These have held their value surprisingly well and fetch between $15,000 and $22,000 on average on today’s used EV market.
Volkswagen e-Golf Overview
BMW i3
Was the BMW i3 the quirkiest BEV of them all? Some might say so: it didn’t look like any other electric vehicle on the road, and it certainly didn’t look like any other BMW the world had ever seen. A variety of configurations were offered, including a range extender that used a small two-cylinder gas engine to act as a generator so that the battery could maintain a charge when its levels became low. The 2014 model year was the first, which landed with 160 kilometres of range, while the range extender was only briefly offered. The i3 uses a rear-wheel drive (RWD) configuration, which speaks to its peppier character. Used models, with or without the range extender, are currently commanding anywhere from $10,000 to $22,000, suggesting they still have their ardent fans.
BMW i3 Overview
Hyundai Ioniq Electric
Before the Ioniq 5 or Ioniq 6 became the forefront of Hyundai’s EV subbrand, there was a car called the Hyundai Ioniq. It was sold in hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric configurations. For the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, its 274 kilometres of electric range on a single charge and 134 horsepower weren’t exactly revolutionary at the time and certainly didn’t push into road trip territory. But what was a big deal about it was the price, which started at just over $40,000 before government incentives were applied. Since it was relatively affordable to begin with, it’s now dipping below $20,000 relatively early on the used car market. Prices in the $15,000 to $20,000 range for model year 2017 to 2019 Hyundai Ioniq Electrics are common on the CarGurus.ca used car listings. Because this is a newer model, you may even find a unit with touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, or a heated steering wheel.
Tesla Model 3
Political commentary aside, the used EV market is suddenly flooded with very affordable Tesla Model 3s. These were always the most affordable cars in the Tesla line-up, so the fact that they’re the first and most prolific to cross the $30,000 barrier isn’t so surprising. Most of the units in this price bracket are standard range units, though even these started with a very healthy 346 km of range. We were able to locate units from the initial model year in 2017 all the way to 2022 priced below $30,000 on the used market in Canada, and nearly all have an odometer reading of 100,000 kilometres or less.
Hyundai Kona Electric
With an impressive range of 415 km in most forms and one of the most user-friendly driving interfaces in the industry, the Hyundai Kona Electric was one of the best EVs of its time when it launched for the 2019 model year. The 201 hp and 291 lb-ft of torque made the Kona feel very driveable and energetic for its size. It was also relatively affordable with a Canadian manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $44,999, sliding just below the early benchmark to qualify for the generous EV rebates that were available at the time. Those early discounts mean we’re starting to see quite a few units dip below $30,000 on today’s used car market. Some higher-mileage units start as low as $15,000, while even a few 2023s in good shape are priced just a tick below $30k.
Honourable Mention
There weren’t as many Fiat 500e models sold in Canada as in markets like California, but there are a handful floating around for less than $12,000 on average.
FAQs
What are the advantages of buying a used electric car?
Electric vehicles have lower running and maintenance costs, and buying a used EV lets you benefit from this as well as saving money on the up-front depreciation and benefiting from better local air quality. And because they have a shorter driving range than average, used electric vehicles also tend to come with a lower number of kilometres on the odometer.
What are the risks of buying a used electric car?
It’s impossible to know with certainty how that electric used car you’re considering has been treated during its lifetime. EV batteries that are charged frequently with DC fast charging degrade at a faster rate. Older EVs also didn’t have as long a range as new EVs to begin with, so it’s important to expect a lower range than when the car was new. Assess the range and battery health of each individual unit carefully to determine whether it will meet your needs. Still, many buyers will be willing to take on that risk to stop spending money on gas.
Note: Images may show US models.