Used electric cars are racing out of showrooms faster than any other fuel type, according to leading marketplace Autotrader.
Electrified models account for all 10 of the fastest-selling used cars on the site in July. Pure battery electric models (BEVs) made up eight of the top 10, with the other two spots filled by hybrid models from MG and Toyota.
Described as a “significant milestone for the used car market”, July marks the first time that no petrol or diesel models have featured in the top 10 since Autotrader started tracking data.
The figures mark a major jump for used EVs, which in July 2025 accounted for just four of the top 10 fastest-selling models.
Autotrader’s experts said that strengthening demand, improved affordability and wider stock availability were bringing more buyers to the segment, explaining the increase.
While the hybrid MG ZS was the fastest-selling car in the country in July, with an average sale time of 13 days, it was followed closely by the Kia Niro, which took an average of 15 days, and the Tesla Model 3, which took 17 days to sell.
More pure EV models from Tesla, Volkswagen, Polestar, Mini and Volvo made up the rest of the top 10, along with the hybrid Toyota Yaris in 10th place.
The strength of EVs’ performance was reflected at the opposite end of the market, where not a single BEV featured in the month’s list of slowest-selling models. That list was dominated by pure petrol and diesel cars, with just one petrol hybrid featuring.
According to the analysis of sales data, three-to-five-year-old EVs emerged as the “sweet spot”, selling in 20 days – 10 days faster than the market average and eight days faster than similarly aged petrol and diesel models.
Marc Palmer, Autotrader’s head of strategy and insights, said the latest figures showed a longer-term shift in the used car market.
He commented: “July’s data points to a used EV market that is continuing to move in the right direction.
“We’ve seen in the past how external shocks, including fuel price volatility linked to the conflict in the Middle East, can create short-term surges in electric interest, so it feels significant to see demand being sustained beyond that initial reaction.
“Buyers are recognising the affordability now available in the used EV market, while retailers have a clearer view of where demand is strongest and which stock is most likely to perform.
“When that balance is right, the right cars are turning quickly. For retailers, the key to success will be using data to stay agile, identify the right stock, and capitalise on one of the market’s strongest areas of demand.”
The data from Autotrader comes as used EV sales continue to grow rapidly. Quarterly figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders shows that used EVs enjoyed their strongest performance in two years from April to June, with transactions jumping a massive 67%.
In the second quarter of 2026, a total of 110,761 secondhand electric cars changed hands, helping the wider sector to grow 0.7% despite the decline in petrol and diesel sales.
