Selling an electric car – who buys Tesla, BYD & Co?

Although the market for used e-cars is growing, sales are currently difficult in some cases. Price fluctuations, a lack of subsidies and uncertainty about battery life are having a noticeable impact on demand. This makes it all the more important to proceed in a targeted manner when selling. In this guide, we show you how you can sell your electric car safely, seriously and in the best possible way despite the tense market situation - whether privately, online or at the dealership.

⏰ Summary

• A lot of uncertainty on the used car market
• Strong price fluctuations and lack of buying incentives
• Selling an e-car on Carwow – easy and stress-free
• Price influenced by many factors
• Tesla models don't have it easy

 

Selling an e-car – What is the situation in Germany?

After a poor sales year for electric cars in 2024, the willingness to buy has improved somewhat in 2025 - but not significantly. Although many manufacturers are introducing new electric car models and prices for electric cars are also becoming cheaper, potential buyers are reluctant. This has to do with the current economic situation and the uncertainty regarding the new federal government, among other things. According to a survey* by the online platform Carwow, 70 percent of German drivers believe that the federal government should reintroduce incentives for the purchase of e-cars.

For around two-thirds (67 percent) of respondents, purchase incentives would be a reason to opt for an electric car when buying a car. For most (64 percent), a direct purchase premium would be the best solution, 40 percent prefer tax breaks and for 26 percent of those surveyed, subsidies for charging stations at home would be an incentive to buy an electric car.

Accordingly, it is currently not easy to sell an e-car - whether as a dealer or if you want to sell a car privately. Carwow is also noticing this trend. If you want to sell your (electric) car, you can advertise it on Carwow, registered car dealers with interest can then bid on the vehicles. It is striking that many people offer their e-cars for sale, but dealers buy electric cars less often than combustion engines. Some dealers have lost a lot of money in the past because e-cars have been in the yard for a long time – and they are now acting accordingly cautiously.

Who buys e-cars?

If you want to sell your e-car, there are several options.

 

Sell an electric car with Carwow

A quick and easy way to sell your used electric car is Carwow. On the online platform, verified dealers bid on your car and you get a fair price in the end. This is how car sales at Carwow work:

Get a free car valuation

• Free Car Valuation: Simply enter the most important vehicle data and you will immediately know what your car is worth.
• Advertise your car: Take meaningful pictures (we'll tell you exactly how) and advertise your car on Carwow.
• Dealers offer: Once your listing is online, interested dealers can bid on your vehicle. You get the offers and can choose the best one – but you don't have to, there is no obligation to sell.
• Pick-up and payment: Once you have decided on an offer, the merchant will make payment immediately. The car will also be picked up by the dealer, for which you make a suitable appointment.

We have obtained a picture of the mood of some Carwow dealers, which shows a lot of uncertainty with regard to used e-cars. There are sometimes strong price fluctuations on the market and age in particular is a decisive purchase factor. If the car is outside the battery warranty, it is usually uninteresting - e-cars built from 2020 onwards are therefore often bought, older ones rather not. From this it can be deduced that customers are very anxious to buy a car with a flawless battery at a reasonable price.

Sell an e-car privately

If you want to sell your e-car privately, you have the opportunity to get more money, but you also have all the work. You must:

• advertise the car,
• take care of incoming inquiries,
• Make appointments for test drives,
• draw up a purchase contract,
• deregister the car or sell it with license plates (be careful!),
• Handle payment and transportation of the car.

Selling a used electric car – this is how it works

In general, it is important that you are honest and inform potential buyers about damage or problems from the beginning. A new MOT and a flawless checkbook also help to build trust. If you then demand a reasonable price, nothing should stand in the way of the sale.

Elektroauto stressfrei verkaufen

 

E-Auto auf Verkauf vorbereiten

Egal ob Verbrenner oder E-Auto, ein ordentliches Erscheinungsbild deines Autos ist von großer Bedeutung. Deshalb solltest du dein E-Auto vor dem Verkauf professionell aufbereiten lassen – hast du Zeit und Erfahrung, kannst du das natürlich auch selbst erledigen. Folgendes solltest du, je nach Zustand des Autos, in Erwägung ziehen:

• Auto waschen in der Waschbox, der Waschanlage oder das Auto selbst waschen
• Auto polieren (lassen)
• Interior cleaning
• Remove any rust formation (have it removed)

What influences the sales price of used e-cars?

• Age: The older the car, the higher the loss of value. This is mainly due to the old battery technology, which deters many buyers.
• Equipment: Special equipment such as air conditioning or leather seats is often sought after and improves sales opportunities.
• Make and model: E-cars that have proven to be particularly reliable cars in the past or enjoy a good reputation sell more easily.
• Appearance: Car care is enormously important, small scratches in the paint should be repaired and a car polish could not hurt either.
• Accumulator: Capacity and condition of the battery are certainly a decisive point. It is best to have the battery checked in advance and thus certify its perfect condition.
• Technical condition: Of course, headlights, chassis, windshield wipers, etc. should also work.

 

Selling Tesla – Is the sale particularly difficult right now?

Currently, there are controversial discussions around Tesla, especially around CEO Elon Musk, that polarize. This is also reflected in the sales figures - Tesla is struggling with severe sales problems. If you want to sell your used Tesla, this could have an influence on the interest in buying. But you can also sell your Tesla to Scandinavia, where demand is comparatively high.

On the other hand, Tesla models retain their value and can score with their good battery, which usually has a lot of capacity even after years of use. We expect demand for used Tesla models to level off again in the course of the year. However, the e-car used car market in general will probably remain difficult for quite a while.

This controversial image is also reflected in Carwow. Some dealers speak of good Tesla sales, while others have the models in the yard for a long time – the reason: image problems. Another problem is the fluctuating prices, some of which change monthly. Tesla used cars often cost more than comparable new cars from Chinese manufacturers.

On the positive side, however, Tesla has introduced a new battery health test with the 2025.8.3 update. You can now check the battery health directly from the main menu. This is a valuable innovation, especially for used car buyers.

Selling an e-car abroad – Is it worth it?

Ein Verkauf gebrauchter E-Autos ins Ausland ist vor allem etwas, das Autohändler in Erwägung ziehen. Wenn du also dein Auto an einen Händler verkaufst, wird sich dieser sicher auch außerhalb Deutschlands umsehen. Ein größerer Markt hilft dir natürlich auch, dein Elektroauto schnell und zu einem guten Preis verkaufen zu können.

E-Auto nach Skandinavien verkaufen?

Ja, du kannst dein gebrauchtes E-Auto nach Skandinavien verkaufen. Das bringt dir sogar einige Vorteile:

• Höherer Wiederverkaufswert
• Tesla-Modelle sind gut verkäuflich
• Große Nachfrage an Elektro-Gebrauchtwagen

Wenn du dein Auto nach Skandinavien verkaufen willst, dann gibt es spezielle Plattformen dafür. Häufig kannst du das komplett online machen ohne Stress oder Termindruck.

E-Auto nach Dänemark verkaufen?

In Denmark, the demand for used e-cars has risen sharply in recent years. Unlike in Germany, Denmark focuses more on the used car market than on buying new cars. One reason for this is the registration tax in force in Denmark, which was introduced in 1925 as a luxury tax – this tax is based on the value of the vehicle and is calculated in three stages.

But if you buy a used electric car, you have a big advantage: the tax is not payable at all or only very low. This incentive to buy is certainly the most important, but e-cars are promoted in Denmark through a wide variety of measures, which is why you have a good chance of selling your used electric vehicle there.

However, some Carwow dealers are already talking about the market slowly becoming saturated. Some of the sales are shifting to Eastern Europe, Portugal or Finland.

*The sample included over 1,100 people