The Vauxhall Corsa Electric could be the worst car for depreciation on UK roads, according to WhatCar?, with the electric vehicle potentially losing up to £20,745 over three years.
The car has a list price of £29,045 brand new but could be worth just £8,300 after 3 years or 36,000 miles on the road, retaining just 28.6% of its original value.
WhatCar? on the Corsa Electric
WhatCar? said: “The regular Vauxhall Corsa is one of the best-selling new cars in the UK, and this pure electric version offers many of the same benefits of that car – namely, that includes a keen price and lots of standard kit for your money. However, it's also the new car which loses the biggest percentage of its value over three years and 36,000 miles of ownership.”
It’s not all bad news, with the Corsa Electric praised for being reasonably priced and offering a good choice of standard kit. The car has also received positive feedback for respectable charging speeds and a range of up to 246 miles.
Performance and rivals
The Corsa Electric is capable of up to 93mph at top speed and covers 0–60mph in around 8.1 seconds. The model is available in two variants, with a 50kWh Standard Range model and a 54kWh Long Range car.
Meanwhile, range anxiety concerns mean that some older electric superminis can even be less desirable in the used car market than petrol models. However, according to WhatCar?, part of the reason why the car loses much of its value is that many of the car’s rivals are simply “better to drive”.
They added: "It's also worth noting that the rival MG4 has a longer range, is also keenly priced, and is better to drive. Plus, the MG will retain more of its value than those rivals after three years of ownership and 36,000 miles.”
Market impact
WhatCar? says owners can find a nearly new Corsa Electric for around £18,498, still massively down on its overall list price. Other models WhatCar? suggested could have a depreciating problem included the DS 9, Mazda MX-30 EV and the Audi A8.
