Unlike Western Europe, in our country the government encourages the purchase of used electric cars rather than new ones from the showroom. Otomoto even released a guide on how to buy a used electric car, and the media started bringing up the topic.
Most of you have surely heard about the government’s plans to subsidize the purchase of electric cars. In fact, this is not surprising, because similar programs have been implemented in different parts of the world for a long time. But the strange thing is that subsidies appear in our country so late, while the rest of Western Europe has already withdrawn from them. The average German has already forgotten about subsidies, he has been driving an electric car for several years and is preparing to sell it, because the range has decreased and in some places there may be wear. And here we come to the second strangeness, because the support will be in two categories – buying a new car and a used car, and we will get a greater reward when buying an old car than a new car from the showroom.
The government is promoting the purchase of used electric cars at the same time that most Western European countries are trying to get rid of old vehicles. The situation is also being fueled by the media and used electric car buying guides. Will Poland once again become a market for used cars from Germany?
The budget for the purchase of used electric cars is expected to reach PLN 1.6 billion, which is twice the money raised to support new cars. This decision was allegedly dictated by the fact that old cars are dominant in Poland, and that Poles will decide to buy a used car sooner than a showroom car. Taking into account that the subsidy for second-hand and third-hand purchases is higher, it is clear that the government wants to maintain this situation. The declared amount of support is PLN 30,000. PLN This is more than a subsidy for the purchase of a new electric car (PLN 18,750 or PLN 27,000 for large family cardholders) and more than you have to pay for the cheapest used electric cars. But some people see a hidden meaning behind it.
While electric vehicles have only recently appeared on the streets in large numbers in our country, there are plenty of them on the road on our western border and have been around for years (the effect of fiscal incentives, among other things). Many owners are already considering selling their used units, but the used EV market in the West is essentially dead. Let’s be honest – few people want to buy a car with a worn out battery, and the cost of replacing it in the case of a higher class car may exceed the price of a small Chinese electric car. So what do you do with these old cars? It’s always the same thing – take it abroad, and in Poland, by a strange twist of fate, there are great conditions for selling such electric cars.
Poles are encouraged to buy used electric cars in several ways. The media does not remain negative, and websites and organizations such as OTOMOTO, PSNM and the EV Klub Polska Foundation have published a special guide to buying such a car, promoting it as structurally simpler and therefore more reliable than combustion cars. Unfortunately, we won’t learn much from the guide – just some points to check in the case of basically every car, not just EVs. However, we are glad that an important aspect such as the battery and replacement prices has not been omitted, although the manual handles the issue very gently. The essential parameter when choosing a used electric car is the efficiency of the lithium-ion battery (SOH – state of health). Significant battery degradation can significantly reduce range. However, it should be noted that many used electric cars have batteries with parameters very similar to those offered by new vehicles (manufacturers usually provide a warranty in this regard for 8 years or 160,000 kilometers of mileage). – We read in the manual. The example of used Nissan Leaf cars shows the opposite, but we must remember that we are talking about cars that are 10 years old. However, government subsidies encourage newer vehicles, but if the situation in the electric car market does not change, it will be very difficult to sell a third (or even fourth) electric car with a double-digit lifespan.
Echo Richards embodies a personality that is a delightful contradiction: a humble musicaholic who never brags about her expansive knowledge of both classic and contemporary tunes. Infuriatingly modest, one would never know from a mere conversation how deeply entrenched she is in the world of music. This passion seamlessly translates into her problem-solving skills, with Echo often drawing inspiration from melodies and rhythms. A voracious reader, she dives deep into literature, using stories to influence her own hardcore writing. Her spirited advocacy for alcohol isn’t about mere indulgence, but about celebrating life’s poignant moments.
