EVs sell faster and cost more than Diesels
The median price for a used electric vehicle in July 2026 is £23,404, which is £10,559 more than the median used diesel price of £12,845. This represents a 56% premium when compared to the national median price of £14,988 across all fuel types. Despite this higher price, used electric vehicles are selling much faster. EVs spend a median of 75 days on dealer forecourts, significantly less than diesel vehicles, which have a median days-on-market of 137 days. This creates a substantial 62-day gap in sales speed between the two fuel types, with EVs moving off lots almost twice as quickly. The median mileage for used electric vehicles is 13,977 miles, notably lower than the 66,013 miles for diesel cars.
What this means for buyers
For used car buyers, these figures highlight a clear trade-off: a quicker sale for EVs, but at a higher price point. If affordability is a primary concern, a used diesel car may offer a more budget-friendly entry, with a median price of £12,845 compared to the £23,404 for an electric equivalent. However, buyers prioritising newer, lower-mileage vehicles and quicker access to a car might find the electric market more responsive, with EVs typically having done 13,977 miles versus 66,013 miles for diesels, and spending considerably less time on sale. The national median days-on-market across all fuel types is 110 days, suggesting that both electric and diesel sales speeds deviate significantly from the market average. The total number of used vehicles listed across UK dealer listings in July 2026 is 552,846.
Where petrol and hybrid vehicles sit
Petrol vehicles continue to dominate the used car market in terms of volume, with 288,027 listings, making them the most common fuel type available. Their median price is £13,885, sitting between diesel and electric cars. Petrol cars have a median days-on-market of 104 days, which is slightly faster than the national average of 110 days. Hybrid vehicles, with 55,286 listings, offer a middle ground in terms of price and sales speed. Their median price of £21,637 is closer to electric vehicles, but they sell slightly slower than EVs at 78 days. Hybrid vehicles typically have higher mileage than EVs, at 17,867 miles, but significantly less than petrol or diesel cars.
How we measured this
This analysis is based on 552,846 live UK dealer listings, extracted by Marketcheck UK and analysed by motoring.today on 18th July 2026. The figures represent a current snapshot of the used car market, reflecting median prices and median days-on-market for each fuel type across the national dealer stock.