Value & depreciation
Electric Cars Ranked by Depreciation
Ranked from the iSeeCars Cars That Hold Their Value Best Study (2026). CarOutlay adds the ownership-cost lens — what each result means for the real 5-year cost of owning the car.
The ranking
Major electric vehicles ranked from fastest- to slowest-depreciating. Higher = more value lost. EV segment average: 57.2% (industry average 41.8%).
- Nissan LEAF Depreciates fastest 63.1%
- Volkswagen ID.4 62.1%
- Tesla Model S 62.0%
- Tesla Model X 61.2%
- Ford Mustang Mach-E 60.8%
- Tesla Model Y 57.8%
- Kia Niro EV 57.3%
- Hyundai Kona Electric 56.5%
- Porsche Taycan 54.7%
- Tesla Model 3 Best-retaining EV — but still loses more than the 41.8% market average. 54.6%
EVs vs every other segment
EVs depreciate faster than any other body style. Industry average: 41.8%.
- Trucks Best segment 34.2%
- Hybrids 35.4%
- Overall average 41.8%
- SUVs 44.9%
- Electric vehicles Worst-retaining segment. 57.2%
Why this matters for your cost of ownership
Depreciation is the largest cost of owning a car, and it is the Achilles' heel of buying an EV new: losing 54–63% of the price in five years can wipe out years of fuel and tax-credit savings. The same steep curve, though, makes used EVs some of the best bargains on the market — a three-year-old electric car from this list can deliver modern range and tech for a fraction of its original price because the first owner absorbed the loss. The lesson for cost-conscious buyers is to let someone else eat the depreciation. Model buying new versus lightly used in our TCO calculator to quantify the gap before you commit.
Open the 5-Year TCO calculatorHow this ranking is measured
iSeeCars analyzed more than 950,000 five-year-old used cars sold between March 2025 and February 2026, measuring depreciation as the percentage of original price lost over five years. This list ranks the major electric models from fastest- to slowest-depreciating; because every EV in the study lost more value than the 41.8% market average, the list is shown cautionary-first. EVs were the worst-retaining segment at 57.2%, which iSeeCars attributes to rapid battery-technology improvement, shifting incentives, and soft used-market demand.
Source: iSeeCars, Cars That Hold Their Value Best Study (2026). Based on over 950,000 five-year-old used cars sold from March 2025 to February 2026. EV segment average 5-year depreciation: 57.2%; industry average: 41.8%. View the original study ↗
Frequently asked questions
Which electric car depreciates the fastest?
In the iSeeCars 2026 study, the Nissan LEAF depreciates fastest of all EVs, losing 63.1% over five years, followed by the Volkswagen ID.4 (62.1%) and Tesla Model S (62.0%). Even the best-retaining EV, the Tesla Model 3, loses 54.6% — more than the 41.8% industry average.
Do any electric cars hold their value well?
Relatively speaking, no — every major EV in iSeeCars' 2026 study lost more value than the 41.8% market average. The Tesla Model 3 (54.6%) and Porsche Taycan (54.7%) retain the most among EVs, but the segment averages 57.2% depreciation, the worst of any body style, well behind hybrids at 35.4%.
Should I buy an EV new or used given the depreciation?
If resale value matters, used is usually the smarter buy. Because EVs lose 54–63% of their value in five years, a lightly used electric car can cost far less than new while keeping most of its service life — you capture the value the first owner paid for. Just budget for battery health checks and confirm any remaining warranty before buying.
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