At this point, it’s been widely established that used luxury cars depreciate catastrophically, and used EVs also do a questionable job of holding their value. Just look at David’s Nissan Leaf or most of my Gavel Gazing series for proof of the latter and the former. However, what happens if you meld the two genres of car together? Used premium and luxury EVs resemble the Catalina Wine Mixer of depreciation, and while this sucks royally for anyone who bought one new, there are deals to be had on the second-hand market if you’re willing to be a bit brave.

We’ve already covered how government incentives and sheer depreciation has made early Tesla Model S liftbacks dirt-cheap, but it’s time we talked about other luxury EVs. While this is still an emerging sector, both long-running automakers like Mercedes-Benz and newcomers like Polestar have been producing cars for just long enough for depreciation to kick in, and we’re going to run down some deals, sorting the same way most of us do for used cars — price low-to-high.

So, get your popcorn ready, sort your kilowatts from your kilowatt-hours, and maybe put some padding between your jaw and the floor because we’re running down some of the best gently used second-hand EV bargains right now. Don’t you just love to see it?

Ford Mustang Mach-E

If you’re looking for an entertaining secondhand EV on a budget, look no further than the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Sure, the ride quality isn’t exactly silky, but you have to admit, there’s something entertaining about a family crossover you can easily powerslide at small angles. Plus, the interior is shockingly nice for a Ford product, and it’s now able to use V3 and V4 Tesla Superchargers using an adapter, giving it an early edge over other non-Tesla EVs in today’s used EV market.

This 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Select is currently listed for sale at a Ford dealership in Illinois for $23,962 with just 19,082 miles on the clock. It’s a one-owner car with a squeaky clean Carfax, and it should provide capable family transportation for years to come. Best of all, because it’s listed for less than $25,000 and isn’t a 2023 model, it may qualify for the federal used EV tax credit, meaning whoever buys it might be able to get $4,000 back from the government if they qualify for the rebate. Bargain.

Polestar 2

These upscale electric liftbacks have seen values drop into the mid-20s, a massive drop from an original MSRP of $47,200 before options. The catch? Polestar doesn’t exactly have an extensive servicing network, so if anything significant goes wrong, you may need a little more planning than with the average car to get it put right. Still, if you’re willing to put up with that caveat, you may be able to find a spectacular deal.

For instance, this 2022 Polestar 2 has dual-motor all-wheel-drive and just 14,491 miles on the clock, yet it’s being advertised on Autotrader for $26,550 at a used car dealer in New Jersey. What’s more, it comes with the optional 20-inch wheels, and the Plus package with premium audio, a glass roof, and heated rear seats. This isn’t some base model, which means it’s nearly half-off simply due to being two years old and having been driven a tiny bit more than the American one-year average. That’s an astounding deal for a potential buyer, but you can’t help but feel bad for whoever bought this thing new.

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Want to make range anxiety disappear? The Mercedes-Benz EQS isn’t a bad way to do just that. With an EPA range of 350 miles in EQS 450+ trim, it’s built to take you far, even if it doesn’t quite measure up to the S in its name. It doesn’t ride like an S-Class and it looks a bit like a Dodge Intrepid, and that just doesn’t work so well when a new one starts at $109,400. However, a gently used one doesn’t cost anywhere near that, making one of these flagship EVs a tantalizing proposition.

You can pick up almost any 2022 EQS 450+ you like for between $50,000 and $60,000, or in other words, the same price as a new C300 4Matic with options. Take this certified pre-owned car with 17,001 miles on the clock, for example. It’s up for sale at a Mercedes dealer in Santa Monica for $57,796, and it’s a ridiculous amount of car for the money. Keep in mind, this 2022 model started at $103,360 when new, so this two-year-old example is essentially $45,564 off. Shocking, right?

Audi e-tron GT

Think of the e-tron GT as Audi’s take on the Porsche Taycan — slightly softer, more comfortable, marginally more practical, and without the Porsche tax. The basic e-tron GT is still potent enough to rip from zero-to-60 mph in 3.6 seconds in Car And Driver testing, and its more of a pure sports sedan than larger EV luxury sedans that try to wear many hats, but its a little more approachable than its sibling from Stuttgart. Oh, and speaking of approachable, although this thing carried a six-figure asking price when new, used ones certainly aren’t fetching that sort of coin.

These days, you can pick up a 2022 Audi e-tron GT for between $50,000 and $60,000, and there’s a shocking amount of choice in that bracket. From a cursory scan of the online classifieds, this 18,000-mile example listed for $56,981 is among my favorite specs currently for sale. Powder blue paint, silver wheels, light wood trim, panoramic roof, job done. Sure, nearly $57,000 isn’t objectively cheap, but for a two-year-old flagship EV sedan, it’s a relative bargain.

Porsche Taycan

Of course, if you want a Porsche Taycan, you could also just buy a Porsche Taycan. Three-year-old examples are sliding into the $60,000 to $65,000 price bracket, and there’s a shocking amount of choice available. Rear-wheel-drive or the dual-motor all-wheel-drive 4S model? Want a red one, a blue one, or a greyscale one? The world is yours, provided you’re willing to gamble.

Take a look at this 2021 Taycan 4S with 26,430 miles on the clock up for sale at a Ford dealer in Illinois for $62,972. It has the Mission E-style wheels, uncommon carbon ceramic brakes, a classic Gentian Blue over beige color scheme, and the Bose stereo, but it’s depreciated catastrophically. When new, this thing had an MSRP of $147,760. We’re talking depreciation of $3.20 a mile. Sure, it has been in a rear-end collision, so it has a hit on its Carfax, but it’s still a phenomenal amount of car for just under $63,000.

The Other Side Of The Coin

These second-hand EVs may have already experienced incredible depreciation, but that certainly doesn’t mean they won’t depreciate further. It’s entirely possible that you could buy a Porsche Taycan or a Polestar 2 and find it to be worth 50 percent of what you paid in five years or so. In addition, many of these vehicles are first-generation products, and with first-generation products, bugs often aren’t quite worked out. Just because you can buy some of these EVs for new Toyota Corolla money doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily be as reliable as a new Corolla. However, the money you save on oil changes and fuel can go into an emergency fund, just in case. Either way, if you’re looking at a new EV, especially a new luxury EV, I’d recommend taking a good look at what’s available second-hand. A penny saved is a penny earned, and with many of these cars having less than 20,000 miles on the clock, do you really care if you aren’t the first owner?

(Photo credits: AutoTrader sellers)

Support our mission of championing car culture by becoming an Official Autopian Member.

Got a hot tip? Send it to us here. Or check out the stories on our homepage.