Electric, hybrid, diesel or gasoline: Which car depreciates more? The answer will surprise you

Buying a new car is a decision that involves a series of increasingly complex considerations.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
14 February 2024 Wednesday 10:35
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Electric, hybrid, diesel or gasoline: Which car depreciates more? The answer will surprise you

Buying a new car is a decision that involves a series of increasingly complex considerations. The diversity of technology options available on the market leaves consumers facing a crossroads when trying to balance between cutting-edge features, practical functionality and the long-term value of the vehicle.

It is known to everyone that a car depreciates from the moment it leaves the dealership. Starting in the first year after setting foot on the street for the first time, the value of a car falls by up to 16%, according to the devaluation tables of the costs of a car from the Ministry of Finance and Public Function published by the Official State Gazette. (BOE).

The Treasury tool allows you to consult the indicative price based on the age of the car, but it does not take into account other important aspects such as the kilometers traveled, the extras or the general condition of the vehicle.

But beyond all these aspects that will ultimately determine the value of a second-hand car, a study carried out by Ganvam (National Association of Sellers of Motor Vehicles, Repairs and Spare Parts) and the German appraisal company DAT reveals that cars Electrics are the ones that lose the most value over the years. On the other hand, gasoline cars are currently depreciating the least, according to the report.

The study highlights that a pure electric vehicle maintains 53% of its value 5 years after its first registration, while its plug-in hybrid counterpart retains 66.5%. However, the models that depreciate the least are the gasoline ones. Specifically, a model with this engine and 60,000 kilometers traveled today retains 71.5% of its value compared to the RRP recorded three years ago. This percentage is 4 points higher than its diesel version.

On the other hand, electric cars are the ones that depreciate the fastest. Although we are talking about the most expensive technology, with differences of up to 20% compared to its similar gasoline version, the autonomy of the batteries is a determining factor in terms of their depreciation.

A few years ago, a range of a few kilometers might have been considered reasonable for everyday driving needs. However, with technological progress, the standards for what is considered acceptable range have risen considerably, making older models, whose batteries cannot compete in terms of range, becoming less attractive on the second-hand market. hand. For this reason, sellers are forced to reduce prices on older electric models.

In addition to what has been mentioned, there are other factors that contribute to widening the economic gap between fully electric used vehicles and those with traditional engines. These factors include the decline in sales of zero-emission vehicles in China, the withdrawal of public subsidies for the purchase of electric cars in certain countries and the decline in the popularity of electric vehicles in the Nordic countries, it notes. Ganvam.

These considerations underline the importance of Spain, as a country, having a solid commitment to effective support and incentives for electric vehicles, according to Fernando Miguélez, general director of the vehicle dealer association in our country.