Recently, an interesting trend has emerged in the second-hand car market in China: in offline markets, there is a scarcity of new energy used cars, with many dealers candidly stating that they are “afraid to take them in.”
According to a report by “Huaxia Times” on May 8th, at the Huaxiang second-hand car market in Beijing, over 95% of the display stands are occupied by traditional fuel cars, while new energy used cars are few and far between.
During a visit to the Huaxiang second-hand car market in Beijing on May 6th, a dealer expressed that “selling new energy cars is too challenging these days.” The market appeared relatively quiet, with few consumers browsing and inquiring about cars.
Regarding the scarcity of new energy used cars, the report quoted several dealers in the market who stated that they “dare not take them and are unwilling to do so” due to reasons such as rapid turnover of new car models, frequent price adjustments, and the fast depreciation rate of new energy cars.
One dealer mentioned that if they take a car back at a certain price today, it won’t be long before the terminal price changes, leading to a downward trend in used car prices. Once they have the cars in stock, they quickly lose their value.
Apart from price fluctuations, many dealers also raised concerns about the technical aspects. Some mentioned that compared to traditional fuel cars, new energy cars are different in terms of battery condition, driver assistance, and vehicle system, making it harder to evaluate. Given their years of experience with fuel cars, they are more familiar with engines and gearboxes, making them feel unsure about the electronic control and intelligent configurations of new energy cars.
The report noted that this year, several car manufacturers continued to promote sales through limited-time discounts, financial incentives, and replacement subsidies, leading to a continuous decline in the final transaction prices of new cars, further squeezing the price space of used new energy cars. Some interviewed dealers pointed out that many new energy cars are already priced affordably and come with warranties for the first owner, a security lacking for used cars.
Opinions in the market varied. Some dealers mentioned that new energy used cars are in demand and can be quickly sold once acquired, partly due to the higher fuel prices, which drive more consumers towards new energy vehicles.
However, according to data from the China Automobile Dealers Association cited by “Huaxia Times,” the proportion of national transactions for new energy used cars in the overall used car market remained below 8% in 2025.
The report also mentioned that traditional offline markets still heavily rely on fuel cars, especially mainstream joint venture brands from Japanese and German companies, as their transparent prices and relatively stable residual value make them easier to transact.
A sales consultant from “Guazi Second-hand Cars” also told “Huaxia Times” that, under equivalent price, condition, and years of use, the residual value performance of pure electric cars is still lower than that of fuel cars after two years.