THE SOUTH AFRICAN USED EV BUYER'S CHECKLIST — 2026 EDITION

Everything you need to check before buying a used electric car in South Africa.

Before you spend R200,000, R400,000 or R700,000+ on a used EV, spend a few minutes making sure the battery, the papers and the price stack up.

A used EV can be one of the best-value cars on the road — the first owner has already paid for the steepest depreciation. But you can't check it like a petrol car. There's no engine to listen to. What matters is the health of a battery you can't see, a warranty you need to confirm, and a few EV-specific wear points most buyers never think about.

This is a practical, no-nonsense checklist created specifically for the South African used-car market. Take it to the viewing: the inspection, test-drive and seller-question pages are designed to be printed or ticked off on your phone.

What's inside

• Is a used EV a good buy? — depreciation, and the signs a used EV suits you
• Battery health, explained — what state of health means and what's normal for the car's age
• How to get the battery checked — dealer reports, EV specialists and a DIY range test
• Warranty and paperwork — battery warranties, transfers, finance and the app account
• Grey imports and other red flags — how to spot a car you shouldn't touch
• The walk-around inspection — printable checklist, including the battery pack underneath
• The test drive — printable checklist, including the charging test most buyers skip
• Questions to ask the seller
• Negotiating the price — what each finding should do to your offer, and when to walk away
• Your used EV deal scorecard — compare two cars side by side

Who this is for

You, if you're:

• Looking at a used EV from a dealer or private seller
• Unsure how to tell if a used EV's battery is healthy
• Comparing a used EV with a new one
• Worried about grey imports or a car with hidden problems
• Wanting to negotiate with facts, not guesswork
• Simply trying to avoid an expensive mistake

Created by Drive Electric

We buy, run and maintain electric vehicles every day — chauffeur services, tours, corporate mobility, rentals. We know what wears, what fails and what to ask. This checklist comes from that experience, not a dealer's sales floor.

Bonus: R100 Drive Electric voucher

Every guide includes a R100 voucher toward your next Drive Electric chauffeur, tour or rental booking — valid for 12 months, revealed inside your copy of the guide.

What you receive

14-page digital PDF checklist, instant download. No shipping, no waiting — read it on your phone, tablet or laptop, or print the checklist pages for your viewing.