The writing was already on the wall, when our government spoke of plans late last year to roll out no less than 60,000 EV chargers islandwide by 2030. That might be seven years away, but judging by the enthusiasm from EV-centric Facebook groups and new car launches here, it’s safe to say that our market’s appetite for electrification has increased.

From a Cat A-friendly BYD to an electrified ultraluxury recipe we can’t wait to see in the flesh, the spectrum has expanded wide enough to garner more interest from the car buying public. That has left the door open for the used EV car market to grow at a pace that will only climb further as months progress.

We have collated commonly asked questions for Carousell users and came up with this QnA. While it’s by no means an exhaustive list given how fast this landscape can evolve, this starter pack should increase your curiosity on Singapore’s pre-owned EV market - let’s get started!

How do I even get started?

Before we get too carried away with concert tickets on the resale market(!), access Carousell and scroll to the Cars section, and click on Used Cars.

How do I locate used electric cars on Carousell?

Once you’re on the Used Car page, click on the green “Search” button to expand the search criteria. Then click on “More filters”, scroll down to Propellant and select “Electric”.

How else can I filter / sort EV cars on Carousell?

The default selling is “Best Match”, which works if you’ve added more than one filter. Other sorting methods include price, year of registration, depreciation and mileage.

How many EVs can we expect to choose from Carousell’s used car classifieds?

A quick search pulled up more than 80 EVs listed on Carousell’s Used Car classifieds. While that forms only a small fraction of 10,000+ cars listed on the site, we expect this number to grow exponentially. We reckon that’s once early adopters list their cars for sale, in search of newer, faster, more efficient EVs. And then there’s the issue of warranty periods, which also plays a big part in ownership timelines.

What sort of annual depreciation levels can we expect?

At the more affordable end of the spectrum lies a couple of BYDs, with depreciation ranging from S$11k to S$15k per year. Then you’ll see smaller compact cars like the Honda E creeping in at between S$15 to S$17k annual depreciation. A couple of previous-gen Hyundai Konas and Ioniqs are priced a couple of thousands higher. Teslas hover at the S$20+k depreciation range (with this Model X 100D a quirky outlier). That leaves cars like the Mercedes-EQ fleet and Porsche Taycan (with countless specs and trims) to occupy the apex.

I heard that the road tax for EVs is scary - what are some ballpark figures?

Road tax for a 2022 71.7kWh BYD E6 will cost S$1,326, while a 2021 Hyundai Kona EV will cost around S$1,800. Tax for a MG ZS EV will slot in nicely between both. A standard range Tesla Model 3 costs around S$3,200, and its Performance variant will set you back S$5,400. A BMW iX xDrive40 will have a road tax roughly at the S$5.6k range, while the owner of a Porsche Taycan Turbo S will have to fork out S$7,700 annually.

I need to sell my car before buying a used EV…

Selling procedures are largely the same, regardless of whether you drive an ICE or EV. Our step by step guide on how to sell your car on Carousell should bring you a step closer to your dream EV.

I do not want to spend so much on an EV. Which used EVs should I look at?

Cars like the BYD e6, MG 5 Electric and Honda E (rather surprisingly) fall in the more affordable end of the scale. Our affordable EV feature investigates these EVs and lists what ICE cars can be bought for similar money. Keep an eye on pre-loved BYD Atto 3s - they are not on classifieds yet (justifiable given how well it fared) but taking into account its healthy sales figures and expanding distribution channel, a couple of neat examples should spring up soon. The lovely MG4 EV could sneak in any time from now, too…

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Selling your car? Whatever the reason, caryousell@carousell, sell your car at the highest price today.