How about turning over an old Leaf instead?
The first-generation Nissan Leaf led early EV sales, so it’s unsurprising it’s the most frequently encountered EV in this price bracket. It didn’t offer much range to begin with—a mere 24 kWh battery at launch. Because Nissan opted not to liquid-cool the pack, its cells tend to degrade more over time than those in most other modern EVs. In effect, the first- and second-generation Leafs helped seed widespread doubt about EV battery longevity.
You can find used Leafs for under $2,000, but once prices drop far enough it becomes sensible to part them out, especially the battery packs, which can enjoy a second life as stationary storage. But maybe you don’t want a Leaf.
There’s the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, which I’ll always have a soft spot for because it was the first car I tested for Ars Technica. I still recall how quickly its narrow front tires were overwhelmed into understeer on a highway ramp. Its single-box, pod-on-wheels silhouette still looks unlike almost anything else on American roads, and it’s extremely compact for urban use. But its battery was only 16 kWh new, and it’s almost certainly smaller now, so it’s best if you live in a dense city.
Other picks tend toward compliance cars, like the Chevrolet Spark EV or Fiat 500e. You might also find a few Volkswagen e-Golfs and electric Ford Focuses in this range, and I’ve seen some Kia Soul EVs and even a couple of very cheap BMW i3s just inside budget. I’m fond of the i3.
One thing to weigh is how wide a net you’ll cast. Sites like Autotrader will let you search nationwide, but could you realistically drive an i3 back to DC from Florida or Texas? An e-Golf from California? At this price point charging usually tops out at Level 2, so stops would need to be more frequent than the “every 50 miles” target under the Biden-era NEVI plan. Buying a bunch of bargain EVs from far away to see which one makes it closest to home would make a fun video, but in practice a long-distance purchase should probably include the cost of shipping the car.
