Aston Barclay has rolled out a monthly ‘EV-only’ auction to help buyers and vendors manage their remarketing transition towards net zero.

The first EV sale was well attended by both physical and online buyers

The sale at Aston Barclay Donington also takes a proactive response to the fall in EV prices experienced over recent months and includes an educational buyer session from the Energy Saving Trust to give further knowledge in a nascent but fast-building sector.

“We wanted to be proactive in helping both buyers and vendors come to terms with the current market for used EVs. Our first EV sale was well attended by both physical and online buyers and there was plenty of discussion on supply and demand,” explained Mark Hankey, Aston Barclay’s chief revenue officer.

“The partnership with the Energy Saving Trust for our April sale is the next step in helping educate the industry. The sooner the used EV industry settles down the better it is for buyers selling cars and vendors trying to anticipate future residual values,” he added.

The first sale held in March was supported by vendors including Zenith, Santander, TCH Leasing, Motor Dough and Mobilize and saw nearly 50 used EVs sold for an average price of £19,635. The average age of stock was 29.5 months, and the average mileage was 18,950 miles.

A Mercedes EQC sold for the highest price of £40,000 at 20 months and 22,000 miles while the oldest vehicle in the sale, a 66-month-old Nissan e-NV200 van with 51,133 miles on the clock, made an impressive £9,000.

Aston Barclay’s association with the Energy Saving Trust offers EV training sessions for buyers and vendors covering topics such as the benefits of EVs, government incentives, charging infrastructure, and comparisons with conventional vehicles.

It follows a successful pilot with Aston Barclay staff during 2022, where colleagues from its six sites were put through a half-day training by the Trust to educate them as to the importance of having the relevant knowledge and expertise in place for selling used EVs.

“Our aim is to help car dealerships understand the benefits of selling electric vehicles and equip them with the necessary knowledge and tools to do so effectively,” reinforced Hankey.