You may be in the market for a used electric vehicle in an effort to find a better bargain, but there are some models you should definitely avoid.
It’s impossible not to notice the increasing presence of electric vehicles on the roads in recent years. Government incentives for EV purchases and growing awareness of environmental concerns have combined to boost EV sales quarter after quarter.
Cox Automotive predicts that a million EVs will be sold in the United States in 2023, more than double the number that were sold in 2021.
While the growing demand for EVs will require an expansion in both the charging infrastructure beyond urban areas and more EV battery recycling centers, it’s clear that these emissions-friendly cars and trucks are the way of the automotive future.
Although there are certainly some laudable standouts among the current EV offerings, there are also many electric vehicles out there that have been plagued by frequent breakdowns, battery fires, recalls, and other significant problems. Let’s take a look at five EVs that you will want to steer clear of when shopping on the used vehicle market.2016 Tesla Model X
In hindsight, even Tesla CEO Elon Musk thinks the Model X was a mistake. When the Model X was launched in 2015, he told Business Insider, « I’m not sure anyone should have made this car. We probably should have just [modified the Model S]. There are so many more features and difficult-to-build parts on [the Model X] than it is necessary for us to sell the cars. »
Those features included the problematic front gullwing and rear « falcon-wing » doors, a bioweapon air-filtration system, and 3.2 second 0-60 time.
In the years since its release, the Model X has been the subject of 24 NHTSA safety recalls, including ones for faulty seat belts, airbags, collision avoidance, and autonomous driving systems.
The massive windshield is also prone to cracking, and defective front stabilizer bar bushings have led many Model X owners to complain about suspension noise.
The recalls and notable issues have driven down the Model X’s value in the used car marketplace. While the P90D version originally carried a sticker price of well over $100,000, at least one used example can be found for about half that today.
