An analysis showed that used electric vehicles may be losing value by less than the leasing and finance industries assess.

CleanTechnica reported on Sept. 29, citing data from European transport group T&E, that 2025 used-car transaction data in the European Union's four biggest auto markets of Germany, France, Italy and Spain showed a 12.9 percentage point depreciation gap between battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and internal combustion cars. But when T&E reflected variables missing from previous calculations, the gap narrowed to 2.6 points.

T&E analysed that reflecting electric vehicle purchase subsidies, internal combustion vehicle acquisition taxes, inflation and differences in vehicle configuration reduces the gap by 5.2 points. Factoring in recent declines in new EV prices narrows the difference by a further 5.1 points. That would cut the previous 12.9-point gap by about 80 percent.

T&E said such differences in calculation could also affect EV lease rates and vehicle financing terms. It suggested leasing companies consider extending contract periods in line with expanding demand for used EVs, and proposed that automakers standardise battery health certification and certified used-car programmes. It also cited BCA data showing that EVs with certified battery health had an average resale price about 1.4 percent higher and sold 2.7 days faster.

It also said there were signs the used EV market was stabilising. In both halves of 2025, EV depreciation volatility in the four markets was similar to that of internal combustion cars. In Germany, used BEV sales in January to July rose 64 percent from a year earlier, and in Ireland, the rise in used EV values in July was almost double that of gasoline and diesel cars.

T&E argued that if the EU's Corporate Clean Vehicle Regulation (CCVR) makes electrification demand for large-company fleets stable, it could also reduce uncertainty in leasing companies' residual value forecasts. It added that since the results are based on T&E's own analysis, it remains to be seen to what extent they will be reflected in actual lease prices and the used-car market.