Australia’s cheapest electric car in 2023 has 80km of range

Every now and then I like to explore the state of used electric cars and what some of the more affordable options are at that time. Back in November, it was the iconic 2011 Mitsubishi i-MiEV which, by the way, is still listed for sale.

In early 2023 though, there is another used EV up for sale that now takes the crown for Australia’s cheapest electric car. It’s a second hand silver 2012 Nissan Leaf. 

It’s currently listed for sale $15,000 and just like the Mitsubishi MiEV, it’s based in Victoria. 

The vehicle has done over 110,000 km but, as the seller mentions, it can still get up to 80 km of range:

“Despite having a reduced battery, with 7 bars out of 12, it still offers a range of 80 kilometers per charge, making it a great choice for short trips and city driving.”

It’s good to see that even earlier generations of the car that really kick-started EVs in Australia, are still able to do 80 km using their 24 kWh original battery pack.

The interior of this Nissan looks very clean and goes to show how well-built some of the early model Nissan Leaf were. 

There are also known examples of upgrading the original Nissan Leaf batteries and giving the EV a new life. The battery upgrade can be done for a fraction of the price it would cost if done by Nissan themselves.

Prices across Australia on used electric cars are coming down just as more supply enters the market.

With more affordable new EV models just around the corner, this trend will continue in the coming months. 

The Driven recently put together a list of these new lower-cost electric vehicles to reach Australia in 2023 which covers models such as the highly anticipated BYD Dolphin and the MG4 electric hatchbacks.

As the year progresses, there would be many more affordable EVs on the market and the point of a healthy used market would come when Australians can make the shift to an electric car that’s under $10,000.