The Six-Figure EVs That Became Used-Car Bargains Almost Overnight
Electric cars have come a long, long way since the introduction of the Tesla Model S in 2012. If you can believe it, the first-ever electric carriage was actualized in 1832 by Robert Anderson. Astonishingly, by the early 1900s, electric vehicles became 38 percent of the vehicles bought and sold in the US. Then, by 1859, French physicist Gaston Planté invented a rechargeable lead-acid battery. Skipping a ton of history in between, by the 1990s General Motors unveiled the now cult classic EV1. Even though this was a short-lived production, some may consider it to be the first modern iteration of an electric vehicle.
By 2008, Tesla had started to produce the Tesla Roadster. This was the first 21st-century “modern” electric vehicle. In 2012, Tesla released the highly mass-produced Model S, a luxury full-size sedan that attempted to make electric cars cool, and did so successfully. They used bin parts from Mercedes-Benz and the battery pack from Panasonic. Focusing on the early 2020s, automakers were scrambling to adopt this powertrain and fuel solution by placating a luxury market with, some would argue, more luxurious offerings from the standard luxury brands themselves. The only problem? Years later, with the market literally shifting gears away from fully electric, a lot of these $100,000 and up, bespoke EVs are now at a bargain akin to some standard sedans.
Models are listed in descending order based on average used price, from the most expensive to the least expensive.
2023 BMW i7
KBB Fair Purchase Price: $57,200
Even though this is closer to $60,000, the BMW i7 for the 2023 model had a starting MSRP of $120,295. That means you’ll be getting BMW’s most iconic, future-forward vehicle for half of its original retail value. Even though this isn’t the only limousine on the list, it is the only one that also has its own dedicated internal combustion engine platform alongside the EV variant.
BMW made the decision, unlike Mercedes-Benz, to go alongside companies like Genesis and put a battery-powered power and drivetrain in one of their pre-existing name badges. That way, customers didn’t have to get used to the idea of a new model that they might not like as much. This generation of the 7 Series is considerably controversial from a design standpoint. You benefit from some of the most supple interior designs, a private theater in the back seat, and four-wheel steering coupled with an air suspension that gives you an incredible ride.
2022 Audi RS e-Tron GT
KBB Fair Purchase Price: $53,400
Of course, the Audi e-Tron GT had to come with an RS variant. You can’t have a car look that cool and futuristic and not have it be as fast, if not faster, than some supercars. With over boost, the RS e-Tron GT outputs an incredible 637 horsepower. Probably its most notable quality from a racing standpoint are its tungsten-carbide-coated cast-iron brakes.
This had an original MSRP in 2022 of somewhere around $143,000. So even though it’s closer to $50,000, you get a claimed zero to 60 MPH time of just 3.1 seconds in a five-seater Audi. You get a three-chamber air suspension, a carbon fiber roof, matrix laser LED headlights, and a lot more. That sounds like a bargain to us.
2020 Porsche Taycan 4S
KBB Fair Purchase Price: $51,900
If the Audi e-Tron GT is not your thing, you could always go for the flagship’s flagship, the Porsche Taycan. In a lot of ways, the Taycan rules the roost when it comes to full-size luxury EVs. There are coupe and wagon variants, it’s unbelievably fast, and it comes with an augmented engine sound that actually makes the car feel like it’s rumbling with a real engine. If you couldn’t afford the $103,800 Taycan in 2020, no worries, you can just shell out the same price of an average car in the US for a base model at this point.
Sure, the base model isn’t nearly as blisteringly fast as the $186,350 Taycan Turbo S, but it can still rocket to 60 MPH in 3.8 seconds. Unfortunately, it has one of the shortest ranges on our list with 197 miles if you don’t opt for the performance battery plus. This isn’t just any old EV either, it drives like a Porsche and handles like one too. The only downside is, just because it’s an EV doesn’t mean it’s cheap to maintain. Maintenance costs still mirror that of a regular, gas-powered Porsche.
2022 Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+
KBB Fair Purchase Price: $48,600
This undoubtedly started off as the most expensive vehicle on this list with the steepest financial decline out of any of the vehicles. It had a starting MSRP of a whopping $147,500 before destination. This gives it a total loss of around 67 percent of its original market value. Unlike the base model, the AMG EQS has a dual-motor 4Matic+ setup giving it an unbridled 649 horsepower with an incredible instantaneous 700 pound-feet of torque.
If the model comes with the AMG-Dynamic Plus package, it unlocks an even more insane 751 horsepower and 752 pound-feet of torque. You might be surprised to read that the zero to 60 MPH time is only around three seconds with that amount of power. While that is still impressive, the thing weighs closer to 6,000 pounds. That is an incredible amount of weight to haul, passengers included. Other than the unbridled power, it comes with special-edition AMG styling, four-wheel steering for taking it on the autobahn, and an AMG-tuned suspension.
2022 Audi e-Tron GT
KBB Fair Purchase Price: $37,500
The Audi E-Tron GT had a starting MSRP of $103,895 in 2022. It’s an electric sedan that has as much of a bite as it does look. This four-door sports car is powered by their patented Quattro all-wheel drive drivetrain and a gross 93.4-kWh battery pack that only nets about 83.7-kWhs. Combined, this gives the GT 469 horsepower to the standard powertrain. That’s still impressive, even for something over $100,000, and even better now that it’s below $40,000! Impressively, this five-seater can achieve zero to 60 MPH in 3.9 seconds according to Car and Driver. It’s also one of two electric vehicles on the market with a two-speed transmission.
That being said, the other one with the two-speed transmission is the Porsche Taycan. Factually, the Audi e-Tron GT is basically a reskinned Porsche Taycan. Therefore, if the Porsche Taycan ends up costing more money (which it does) and you don’t want to spend that, then the Audi e-Tron GT is a great choice. Some other notable features include four-wheel steering, adaptive air suspension, and Audi’s forward-looking interior with minimalist designs that one could hope for out of not only a luxury car, but also a luxury EV.
2022 Lucid Air Touring
KBB Fair Purchase Price: $36,600
This California-based company has attempted to give not only Tesla a run for their money, but everyone else on this list. This is a newer brand that got their start in one of the most difficult segments to start in: full-size luxury sedans. The 2022 Lucid Air Touring is an ultra-sleek, ultra-luxurious sedan that puts its money where its mouth is and actually employs features like a 34-inch glass cockpit, DreamDrive self-driving capabilities, and one of the most spacious cabins and cargo spaces out there.
The Air Touring is the second trim next to the base model Pure and had a starting MSRP of $107,400 in 2022. This is another make-and-model that could be a potentially difficult resell for dealerships and customers alike, as it is not only the first year for the model, but for the brand as a whole. They make some of the best motors and battery packs out there, as they manufacture their motors in-house, but the operating systems have had some trouble with over-the-air updates, and their numerous components might start to fail after four to five years. We’re not saying don’t consider it, we’re just saying, be careful when shopping for one.
2022 Mercedes EQS 450+ Exclusive Sedan 4D
KBB Fair Purchase Price: $33,500
There were two choices German automakers had when designing their flagship EVs. Make them their own bespoke model or stick a battery in a pre-existing one. Mercedes took the former route and made the EQS Sedan. This ended up being a controversial decision, as many people do not enjoy the spaceship/egg electric vehicle look they gave it. The original 2022 base model had a starting MSRP of $102,310. That means the full-size sedan has lost just about 67 percent of its value within just two to three years. It’s powered by a single rear motor that outputs 329 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque.
It also employs the use of a 108.4-kWh battery pack that has an estimated range of 350 miles and has a zero to 60 time of 5.9 seconds. Another controversial point of the EQS is its dashboard-sized 56-inch Hyperscreen. It’s considered to be incredibly distracting, and the Mercedes MBUX is also difficult to navigate, especially for the initial launch year. Even though Mercedes-Benz has a widely established network of maintenance technicians and dealerships, this is technically the first model year for this vehicle, making it a difficult sell for some. It’s not all bad, though, because if you want an all-electric, reasonably priced S-Class with a quieter interior, an airmatic suspension, and augmented reality navigation, you can buy it for the lower $30s.
Sources: Mercedes-Benz, Lucid, BMW, Porsche, Audi, KBB
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