Used Electric Cars Now Cheaper Than Diesel in Ireland
Electric cars have become cheaper than comparable diesel vehicles on Ireland’s used car market for the first time, according to a recent report from DoneDeal Cars. The decline in second-hand electric vehicle (EV) prices appears to have stabilized, suggesting the market is entering a more settled phase after years of volatility.
Price Correction Stabilizes
After significant falls in 2023 and 2024, used-EV prices were broadly flat year-on-year by the complete of 2025, indicating that the major price correction “has now run its course,” DoneDeal Cars stated. A typical three-year-old electric car now has a median asking price of €28,825, compared with €35,893 for a diesel vehicle of the same age.
EVs Priced Below Diesel
When factors such as age, mileage, and model are taken into account, second-hand electric cars are now priced approximately 11 percent below comparable diesel vehicles. This marks a shift from 2022, when EVs carried a price premium. Petrol cars remain the cheapest option upfront, with a typical three-year-old model priced at around €22,900, but the gap between petrol and electric vehicles has narrowed in recent years.
Market Transition and Factors Influencing Prices
The report suggests the used-EV market has entered a more stable phase following a turbulent period triggered by falling new-car prices, reduced purchase grants, and increased supply of electric vehicles entering the second-hand market. This price correction is seen as a necessary step for mass market maturity, making EVs more accessible to a wider range of buyers.
Tom Gillespie, an environmental economist at the University of Galway, noted that downward pressure on prices was driven by “a perfect storm of slashed new car prices, reduced grants, charging infrastructure anxiety and wavering consumer confidence.” However, he added that this now seems to be a thing of the past, with used prices remaining stable and the share of new EV registrations continuing to increase.
Shifting Import Dynamics
Brexit has reshaped Ireland’s used-car supply chain. Imports from the UK have fallen sharply since 2019, while Japan now accounts for roughly half of all second-hand car imports into Ireland. Many of the used-car imports from Japan are European brands that were originally sold in the Japanese market before being re-exported.
Market Cycle Completion
Paddy Comyn, DoneDeal head of automotive content and communications, said the EV market had “come through a full cycle.” Prices surged during the pandemic supply shortages, then corrected as supply improved and manufacturers cut new-car prices. The current trend indicates the market is settling into a more normal pattern.
“The sizeable shift is that electric cars are no longer carrying a premium over diesel. In many cases they’re thousands cheaper, which is a significant turning point for buyers considering making the switch,” Comyn stated.
Pressure on Lower End of Market
The report also highlighted ongoing pressures in the lower end of the used-car market, with prices of vehicles below €6,000 rising by 7.6 percent year-on-year, reflecting continued shortages of cheaper cars.
You can find a wide selection of electric cars for sale on DoneDeal and DoneDeal.