Nissan Leaf is 2021’s fastest selling used car

According to the latest data from Auto Trader’s Fastest Selling Index, the 2016 Nissan Leaf (automatic) was the UK’s fastest selling used car in 2021, taking an average of just 17 days to leave forecourts. It marks only the second time a fully electric vehicle (EV) has topped the annual top 10 list during the seven years Auto Trader has monitored the market’s fastest sellers.

The Index, which tracks the potential speed at which vehicles will sell based on live supply and demand in the market, reflects the recent surge in demand for electric and low emission vehicles.

In addition to the Nissan Leaf, the top 10 included its French counterpart, the Renault Zoe (2018, automatic), which was 2019’s fastest selling used car. Last year it took an average of just 20 days to leave forecourts, making it 2021’s seventh fastest selling used car. What’s more, two petrol-hybrids also made it onto the list: the 2016 Toyota Prius (automatic) and the 2016 Toyota Yaris (automatic), taking an average of 19 days and 20 days to sell respectively.

The data also shows an acceleration in the average time it takes for a used EV to sell. On average, a used EV in December sold in just 26 days, which is eight days faster than the average time it takes for a used petrol vehicle to sell (34) and four days faster than a used diesel (30). This is a drop of 18 days from the start of 2021, where used EVs were taking an average of 44 to sell on UK forecourts.

Auto Trader’s data shows that engagement in electric cars on its site is up 74% year-on-year, whilst one in five new car searches on its marketplace are for an EV. Topping the list for the most viewed EV last year is Ford’s new fully electric SUV, the Mustang MACH-E, which fended off stiff competition from the already iconic Hyundai IONIQ5, and Volkswagen ID.3, which came in second and third place respectively.

The MACH-E has made such an impact on consumers, that it’s the only pure electric vehicle to make it onto the coveted list of top 10 viewed new cars in 2021, reaching an impressive 9th position. The IONIQ 5 and ID.3 just missed out, reaching a respectable 11th and 12th place respectively.