Electric cars on the used vehicle market

They may still sell in comparatively small numbers when compared to their gasoline-burning siblings, but we still think it's fair to say that electric vehicles are officially mainstream in America. And now that they've been on sale for around a decade, there are bound to be quite a few near you for sale on the used market.

Which used electric vehicle should you choose? To help you decide, the team from Carvana searched their used-vehicle sales charts and came up with some typical transaction pricing information. Here are some popular used electric vehicles that you can buy for around $10,000.

Price: $5,900
Range: 62 miles

With transaction prices that often fall below $6,000, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV is one of the least expensive used electric cars you can buy in America. There's one vehicle that's similarly cheap, but as you'll see on the next slide, it's smaller and potentially less practical.

Note, though, that there aren't all that many used i-MiEVs on the used market, so if you decide this is your perfect blend of price and range, you might need to travel a bit to find the one you're looking for.

Price: $5,900
Range: 58 miles

The Smart ForTwo Electric Drive might match the Mitsubishi i-MiEV's under-$6,000 price on the used market, but it's a much different vehicle. Its small size means it's easier to park than just about anything else on four wheels, but that also means the two-passenger vehicle doesn't have much room inside.

Price: $8,000
Range: 84 miles

With a factory estimated range of 84 miles, the Fiat 500E can take you places that some less expensive electric vehicles can't reach without a recharge. Plus, it's actually pretty fun to drive, with plenty of low-down torque to squirt away from stoplights.

Price: $9,000
Range: 73 - 107 miles

The Nissan Leaf may offer a sweet spot between price and range on the used market. For a thousand dollars more than the Fiat 500E, the Nissan Leaf offers a similar amount of estimated range, but, with a nice back seat and sizable cargo area accessible through its back hatch, the Leaf's practicality is hard to beat.

When the Leaf first hit the scene in 2010, it was rated at 73 miles of range. The electric Nissan's battery has been upgraded through the years; in 2016, the Leaf's standard battery offered 84 miles or range and an optional, higher-capacity pack came with a 107-mile rating. The latest 2018 Leaf boasts a 151-mile range, but since that's not yet common on the used market, we stuck with the range from earlier years.

Price: $10,100
Range: 76 - 115 miles

The first used electric vehicle on this list to break the $10,000 barrier is the Ford Focus Electric. Like the slightly less expensive Nissan Leaf, the Focus Electric offers real practicality due to its five-door hatchback design. In 2017, Ford installed an upgraded battery pack that bumped range from 76 miles to 115.

Price: $14,300
Range: 90 - 111 miles

From the outside, it's hard to tell the Kia Soul EV apart from its traditional cousin. If you don't want to broadcast your desire to cut down on emissions, this tall electric hatchback may be for you. When it was introduced in 2014, the Soul EV was given a 90-mile range. That was upped to 111 miles for the 2018 model year.

Price: $15,700
Range: 83 miles

Like the Kia Soul EV, the Volkswagen e-Golf doesn't do much to stand out from the crowd. It looks pretty much like any other Golf, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. VW's stalwart hatchback is pretty nice to drive in any form, including as an electric car. And with a reasonable rear seat and generous cargo capacity, it's also very practical.

Also like the Kia Soul EV, Volkswagen didn't get an early start in the electric vehicle segment – sales of the e-Golf began in America in 2015 – which helps explain why it's a bit more expensive than some of the other vehicles you saw on this list.