Our first recommendation for anyone selling an electric vehicle – whether fully electric or plug-in hybrid – is to check out Recurrent’s valuation tool. And we don’t just say that because it’s ours. We recommend it because it is the only valuation that takes into account how your battery contributes to the overall value of your car.
So the very first thing you want to do is grab your VIN or license plate number and your computer. Add a few details, and we can give you an EV-specific value using the power of Recurrent’s battery data and BlackBook’s evaluation expertise.
Once you get an idea about an EV specific evaluation, you may want to check out the numbers on some general auto evaluation tools, such as Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and Consumer Reports. These sites will not be able to factor in the great care you’ve taken of your battery, but they can give you an idea of what traditional auto valuations would be.
Another sort of evaluation you may want to get is an online offer from a major retailer such as TureCar, CarMax, or Carvana. These evaluations ask more involved questions about the condition of your car and may require you to upload photos. In exchange, you’ll get a non-binding offer, pending approval from a dealer and from you.
Many evaluation sites also offer different prices based on whether you want to trade-in your car or sell it privately. Some tools, such as Edmunds, also share the price that a dealer might resell your car at.
If you think you may want to sell your car privately or to a dealer without a trade-in, consider enrolling it in Recurrent’s monthly reporting so you can demonstrate a history of good battery care. You will need a subscription to MyNissan and the correct hardware to enroll.
Some things that may help you get accurate evaluation are:
The used EV market is still pretty new. Add to that the never-before-seen market volatility in the past three years, and it can be hard to have an accurate sense of what your car is worth today, let alone what it may be worth next month. For instance, overall used EV prices seem to have leveled off as of April 2023, but are significantly lower than they were just six months ago.
If you’ve owned a LEAF, you know that they are different from the Mustang Mach-Es and Ioniq 5s of the world. The Nissan LEAF is the original consumer EV, paving the way for an electric future. However, this does mean there are a few considerations:
There are tons of tools that LEAF drivers use to monitor battery health. Consider looking into LeafSpy or Recurrent to get – and share – an accurate understanding of your battery and range.