Auto Trader Fastest Selling Index shows growing appetite for EVs

Appetite for EVs surge as the Renault ZOE takes first and second place in the race for fastest selling used car, according to Auto Trader.

According to the latest findings of the Auto Trader Fastest Selling Index, it’s a one-two for electric vehicles (EVs) this month as the popular French supermini, the Renault ZOE, tops the national top 10 list of fastest selling used cars.

The 2015 (automatic) ZOE took first place but was closely followed by its younger 2016 (automatic) counterpart in second – if priced to the market, they’re capable of taking a respective 21 and 23 days to leave UK forecourts.

The ZOE narrowly missed out on sweeping the podium with the 2017 (automatic) model, which is currently in fourth on the list, taking a respectable 26 days to turn. The fact the ZOE is performing so well on a national level not only underpins the growing appetite for used electric vehicles, but the demand for zero emission vehicles isn’t limited to just large cities such as London.

With the ZOE taking the SEAT Alhambra’s crown following four consecutive months in first place, the large SUVs and MPVs that traditionally dominate the national top 10 have been replaced by small petrol-powered hatchbacks, such as the Volkswagen Polo, Toyota AYGO and Volkswagen up!

Fastest fuel types

The depth of Auto Trader’s analysis offers a more granular look at the market’s fastest turners, including fuel type. The list of the current fastest selling used petrol cars is made up entirely of small hatchbacks, with the 2017 Volkswagen Polo (manual) topping the list at 28 days. In contrast, only one of the fastest selling diesels was neither an SUV nor MPV – in first place, the 2016 SEAT Alhambra (automatic) is capable of selling in just 24 days.

Commenting on the results, Auto Trader’s director of commercial products, Karolina Edwards-Smajda, said: “The ZOE taking the first and second place is hugely significant as it marks the first time a pure electric has taken the top spot as the UK’s fastest selling used car since July 2018. This clear appetite for new and used EVs represent an exciting opportunity for retailers at a time when the market is facing unprecedented challenges, not least the ongoing consumer anxieties surrounding Brexit and now the General Election too. In a period of uncertainty, it’s reassuring to see such a bright spot emerging, which is only set to grow brighter.”

Current fastest selling used cars (by days to turn) – as of 5^th November 2019:

Current slowest selling used cars (by days to turn) – as of 5^th November 2019: