Used electric car leasing: the way into an EV you might have missed

Yes, you can lease a used electric car. It's a lot like leasing a new one, except the car has already done a bit of living. Its first driver has taken the steepest drop in value, and a well-looked-after battery still has plenty to give. If you're thinking about swapping your petrol or diesel car for something electric, used electric car leasing is worth a look. Here's how it works, what it costs to run and what to check before you sign.

• You can lease a used electric car. It works the same way as a new lease: a fixed monthly payment, an agreed term and mileage, and you hand the car back at the end.
• A used car has already been through its steepest drop in value, so your monthly payments should be lower to reflect this.
• Used electric car batteries generally hold up well. A UK study of more than 8,000 electric cars and vans found they kept 95% of their battery capacity on average.
• Charging at home typically costs far less per mile than filling up with petrol.
• Insurance isn't included in a personal lease, so budget for it separately.

Yes. Used electric car leasing is just a personal lease on an electric car that's had a previous driver, usually a car coming back from its first lease. You agree how long you want to keep the car, and how many miles you plan to drive each year, pay a fixed amount each month, and hand the car back at the end. It works in exactly the same way as leasing a new car.

If you go over that mileage you’ve agreed to in the contract, and you'll pay a charge for each extra mile. You may also pay for damage beyond fair wear and tear, which means anything more than the small scuffs and marks you'd expect from everyday driving.

Leasing used cars is becoming much more common. The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), the trade body for leasing companies, says used vehicle leasing is "expanding rapidly, particularly through salary sacrifice and personal leasing". There are also more used electric cars to choose from. Sales of used electric cars rose 67% between April and June 2026, compared with the same months a year earlier, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

A lease payment mostly covers the value a car loses while you're driving it, plus interest and the leasing company's own costs. Cars lose value fastest in their first few years. So with a used car, the first driver has already covered that early drop, which can bring the monthly cost down.

How big is that early drop? A typical electric car loses 38 to 42% of its value over its first three years, according to Cox Automotive. That’s not unique to EVs, petrol cars lose roughly 35 to 40% over the same period.

What the car is worth by the end of your lease, that's the leasing company's concern, not yours. You hand it back either way.

One thing you’d miss out on if you go for a used electric car is the Electric Car Grant. It takes up to £3,750 off the price of some new cars, but used cars aren't eligible.

An electric car typically costs much less to run than a petrol one, especially if you charge at home. A full charge at home can cost just £4.07 in a typical EV, compared with £38.79 for the same amount of miles in an equivalent petrol car. Over a year of driving, the gap adds up. If you drive 8,000 miles a year, charging at home can cost as little as £148, compared with £1,411 for petrol.

Then there are the garage bills. If your current car is getting on a bit, you'll know the feeling of dread when the MOT comes round. Many leases include servicing, maintenance and repairs in the monthly payment, and our personal leases cover MOTs and road tax too. So a surprise repair bill is far less likely to land in your inbox..

Generally, yes. Electric car batteries lose capacity slowly over time rather than failing all at once. A study of more than 8,000 electric cars and vans in the UK found their batteries held an average 95% of their original capacity, according to Generational's 2025 Battery Performance Index.

That figure is sometimes called the battery’s state of health. It's how much charge the battery can hold now, compared with when it was new. The same study found that cars aged four to five years typically still had 94%. Our approved used cars are under four years old, so they're younger than the group that research was based on.

Most of our approved used cars are still within their manufacturer battery warranty (the car maker's warranty that covers the battery). Some also come with a battery health certificate, so it's worth asking whether the car you like has one.

And if you're leasing, the long-term battery question isn't yours to worry about. At the end of the lease, the car goes back.

“Approved used” is the label companies give to used cars that have been checked and prepared before they're offered again. The standard varies between providers. At Octopus EV, approved used means a fully serviced electric car that's under four years old.

Every approved used car is one of a kind, so when it's gone, it's gone. If you spot one that fits your life, it's worth moving quickly.

It depends on what matters most to you. Here's how the three options compare.

Leasing details are based on Octopus EV personal leasing. What's included varies between providers.

Used electric car leasing tends to suit you if you'd rather not tie money up in a car that's losing value, and you like knowing what you'll pay each month. Buying tends to suit you if you want to own the car outright, or you drive a lot of miles and don't want a mileage limit.

Yes. A used electric car charges in exactly the same way as a new one. If you have a driveway, a home charger is usually the easiest and cheapest way to keep it topped up. Whether you can get one fitted depends on your home, so it's worth checking.

No driveway? Public charging works too. Octopus Electroverse gets you onto public chargers across the UK and Europe, with one bill.

We lease approved used cars on a personal lease lasting two to four years. One monthly payment covers the car, servicing, maintenance, repairs, MOTs and road tax. There are no admin, broker or delivery fees. Here's what else comes with it.

• Charging offers, depending on the car. A free or discounted home charger, or public charging credit from Electroverse. If you're an Octopus Energy customer, you also get an extra 5,000 miles of home charging credit.
• Discounted home energy from Octopus Energy. Octopus EV drivers get an exclusive 1p discount on the current fixed rate with Octopus Energy's Intelligent Octopus Go - EV Saver tariff. That means charging at home, on the smart EV charging rate for just 6.6p per kWh (the unit your electricity is measured in). Charge at home for as little as 2p per mile, compared with 18p per mile for petrol.
• Cheaper public charging. An extra 10% off public charging with Electroverse.
• Your own EV expert. Someone at the end of the phone, to help you find a car that fits your life, from boot space to real-world range.

Insurance and breakdown cover aren't included with our personal lease, and tyre replacements are an optional extra. See the latest approved used deals to find out what's available right now.

Would you rather own your car? You can also buy a used electric car through our partner car360, the UK's largest used-EV specialists. And if your employer offers EV salary sacrifice through Octopus EV, you can get an approved used car that way too.

1. Work out how many miles you drive in a year, so you choose the right mileage allowance.
2. Check whether you can have a home charger fitted, and whether you get a charging offer with the car.
3. Get an insurance quote for the car, since it isn't included in a personal lease.
4. Read the car's full spec, so you know exactly which features it has before you order.
5. Ask whether the car comes with a battery health certificate.
6. Make sure the boot fits your life, whether that's a buggy, the dog or the golf clubs.
7. Talk it over with whoever else will be driving it. It's much easier to agree on a car before it's on the drive.

Yes. Used car leasing works in the same way as leasing a new car. You pay a fixed monthly amount for an agreed term and annual mileage, then hand the car back at the end. Used electric cars are widely available to lease, often as cars coming back from their first lease.

It depends on your mileage, your budget and how long you want the car. Used electric car leasing gives you a fixed monthly cost and passes the drop in value to the leasing company. Buying can make more sense if you want to own the car or you drive very high mileage.

It varies depending on the provider you choose. At Octopus EV, the approved used electric cars that are available to lease, are under four years old and fully serviced before they're leased again. Some come with a battery health certificate, and most are still within their manufacturer battery warranty. So you get a fairly new car that's already past its steepest drop in value.

No. The Electric Car Grant only applies to some new zero-emission cars, with a discount of up to £3,750 taken off the price by the seller. Used electric cars aren't eligible, whether you buy or lease them. GOV.UK lists the models that currently qualify.

You hand the car back. It's checked for damage beyond everyday wear and tear, and its mileage is compared with your agreed allowance. You may pay a charge for either. After that, you can walk away or lease another car, new or used.