"Absolute Steal": Why Buying a Used EV is a Smart Idea

The state of electric vehicles has gone through a bit of a roller coaster ride over the past decade--from red hot to seemingly ice cold--and there's some things worth knowing if you find yourself thinking about hopping in the driver's seat. Although not as popular as they were a few short years ago, they are indeed the future of personal transportation.

Don't get me wrong, I have a love for classic cars and I think a lot of newer cars are actually, for lack of a better word, lame.

That being said, the Volkswagen ID.4 was the first one I saw that genuinely piqued my interest. I was drawn to the clean lines and simplicity that made it all very easy on the eyes. It doesn't look weirdly futuristic, it looks like a perfect bridge to a more modern automobile. Bonus points that it's a German car but made in the USA at the Volkswagen factory in Tennessee.

I think there's a lot of genuine awesomeness to electric vehicles but that's not the entire story. Honestly, I find most of them to be over-engineered--like, why do they beep so much. Furthermore, I think some are downright ugly--I'm looking at you Hyundai Ioniq. Tesla may have lead the field for a longtime but nowadays it's hard to even look at one without instantly thinking of the deranged founder of the company that seems hellbent on global domination. Don't even get me started on the Cyber Trucks...

For me, the thought of an electric vehicle such as the Volkswagen ID.4 is perfect as a daily driver, something to complement an older gas-powered beach cruiser or adventure rig. From the point of view of a small family, having two distinctly different vehicles can be great to cover all the bases. Even from the point of view as a single person, in this case me, the ID.4 is pretty attractive to consider, especially given how affordable they are as used vehicles.

While a new 2026 ID.4 starts around $40k--too much for a surf journalist salary--used ones can be had for about half that price depending on the year and mileage. There are great deals on new ones, especially for leasing, but still not exactly what I can afford. Originally I was pretty skeptical about buying a used EV, but the post above explains why they're an "absolute bargain".

Electric vehicles are great around town because they're efficiency is best in stop-and-go driving. Whether that's commuting to work, running errands, or going to the beach for a quick surf, the short trips can add up to solid savings. The fuel performance isn't as great with highway driving but the ID.4 can sure get up and go quite quickly. Putting the petal to the metal will get you to 60mph in 5 seconds. Unlike a lightweight hybrid vehicle, like a Prius for instance, the ID.4 feels very solid on the road. For what it's worth, I felt very safe when driving amongst bigger vehicles.

The range isn't amazing, roughly 300 miles per charge depending on driving conditions, but overall not bad. Charging up does take longer than filling up with gas and chargers aren't found quite as easily as a gas stations--both things to consider when planning a road trip in an EV. Early complaints with the ID.4 involved software issues which have since been addressed.

Another important factor is the price of gas, currently it's low enough to the point that most people shrugged off EVs--especially in states outside of California. In coastal areas, with high costs of living, the economics of an EV start to make more sense if you're trying to save money however you can. Given the current war in the Middle East, gas prices could fluctuate and increase in the coming weeks.

In conclusion, spending only one week with a vehicle is hard to gauge all of the merits and flaws but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the ID.4. Aside from software complaints and only decent range, it is still a great EV to consider.