Germany faces shortage of affordable used electric cars

Demand for low‑price used electric vehicles in Germany has outstripped supply, creating a tight market for models around €20,000 such as the Renault Zoe. In April, more than 40,000 battery‑electric used cars changed hands, exceeding the number of new EV registrations. The Deutsche Automobil Treuhand (DAT) attributes the surge to high fuel prices and the immediate availability of used cars, especially in smaller classes. Production shortfalls for new vehicles during the COVID‑19 pandemic and after the start of the Ukraine war have limited the flow of cars onto the secondary market, which in turn is stabilising residual values and pushing three‑year‑old EV prices modestly higher.