Sales of used EVs accelerated again in August, despite a softening of the overall UK market.

Sales of used EVs were up 53.3% year-on-year from July

Sales were up 53.3% year-on-year from July, according to latest data from Indicata. But a shortage of the right type of stock continues to prevent sales growing even further.

And some buyers have delayed a move to zero emissions as the cost of living continues to rise.

Sales of hybrids were also up during August with the supply of used stock benefiting from strong new car registrations prior to the start of the pandemic.

Overall used market stock levels fell by 6.4% between early August and September but remain 8.0% higher than for the same period in 2022.

UK price inflation fell by 0.3% and it remains the only European market to experience a fall in used car prices in 2022, down by 3.6%. Prices have fallen for eight consecutive months. But there are early signs prices are starting to slow down in mainland Europe.

Jon Mitchell, Indicata UK’s group sales director, said: “The used market is at a crossroads currently as the summer holidays are over and the trade is waiting to gauge consumer demand in the run up to Xmas. The restricted used car stocks and new car supplies are not going to change anytime soon. Dealers will need to be in tune with the used market on a daily basis to see how it shapes up over the coming months.”

Indicata’s top-selling used car table reveals that the Ford Fiesta remains in first place followed by the VW Golf and the Nissan Qashqai. However, the top three fastest-selling used cars changed yet again in August. Škoda’s Kodiaq took the top spot, followed closely by the Lexus CT while the Toyota C-HR fell to third place from last month’s second spot