Surge in EV pre-registrations poses challenges for used car market, says VRA

A sharp increase in electric vehicle (EV) pre-registrations is creating hurdles for the used car sector, according to the Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA).

As manufacturers continue to push new EV sales with heavy incentives, nearly-new stock is becoming slower to shift, especially pre-registered vehicles with low mileage.

VRA board member Louis Maxwell highlighted the latest AutoTrader data, which shows overall pre-registration activity is up 23% year-on-year in 2025, with EVs accounting for roughly the same proportion as their share of new car sales – 23%. But selling this stock isn’t proving easy.

“While 3-5-year-old EVs are now achieving price parity with petrol and selling in 26 days, pre-registered EVs are taking an average of 37 days, which is slower than petrol equivalents,” said Maxwell. “That’s a significant difference in a fast-moving market.”

He noted that although post-pandemic shortages made pre-registered stock seem attractive to dealers, growing volumes – especially in the EV segment – are not being absorbed as quickly by buyers. As a result, Maxwell urged retailers to closely track supply, demand, and pricing before increasing their pre-reg EV stock.

Adding complexity to the picture is the tight supply of 3-5-year-old used vehicles, which continue to benefit from the pandemic’s production shortfall.

“This part of the market is 3% down year-on-year and 28% below 2019 levels,” Maxwell said. “Retail prices for these cars have risen 1.4% year-on-year, in contrast to an overall market drop of -0.6% so far in 2025.”

These mid-aged vehicles are turning in just 24 days, outperforming even pre-pandemic speed metrics, suggesting high demand and limited availability.

Maxwell concluded that with the used market now more fragmented and nuanced, data-driven decision-making is crucial: “There are plenty of opportunities out there. Some segments offer strong margins, but finding them means diving deep into the data and staying agile.”