Nearly new electric work vans in the United Kingdom are attracting bids that would have seemed almost impossible. Still, one six-month-old Peugeot e-Expert reached £13,400 ($17,747) plus value-added tax at auction and still failed to sell.
Here's what to know
In the video, host Jonathan Porterfield reviewed an Oct. 1 sale with 3,678 vans and concentrated on 75-kilowatt-hour Peugeot e-Experts and Vauxhall Vivaro Electric models from Leasys and Enterprise that remained provisional.
Notable listings included a 24-plate Peugeot e-Expert described as "six months from new" and "Grade 1, as new." Bidding got to £13,400 plus VAT, but it still did not sell.
Another 24-plate e-Expert, showing 3,093 miles and a reported 100% state of health, rose to £13,100 ($17,351) plus VAT and also stayed provisional. A comment on the video said: "The really interesting one for me was the virtually-new e-Expert that reached £13,400 + VAT and STILL didn't sell."
Other electric vans in the same auction met similar resistance. An Enterprise-listed Vauxhall Vivaro Prime 75 kWh with 27,000 miles failed to sell at £9,900 ($13,109) plus VAT; another 73-plate Vivaro with 26,000 miles topped out at £10,100 ($13,373) and also stayed provisional; and a Maxus Deliver 9 high-roof electric van likewise stalled at £9,900 plus VAT.
More background
The bids suggest values may be shifting quickly. Porterfield's own comparison point reinforced that impression: he said he paid "16 plus VAT" ($21,186) for a similar nearly new e-Expert, suggesting expected resale values for these electric work vans may have dropped sharply.
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Those swings matter for tradespeople, fleets, and small businesses trying to manage vehicle costs. Porterfield also floated one possible explanation for the growing interest, asking whether "the 2 pound a liter for diesel" ($10 per gallon) might finally be making dealers think electric vans could appeal more to working drivers.
The comments on the video also touched on the consumer side of the equation. One commenter wrote, "Had many electric vans saved us a fortune. Got a Peugeot going back after we had extended the lease because it was so good. Just grabbed a new transit custom ev with 100 miles on for £20,000 [$26,483] cheap motoring for 5 years."
Another pointed to the downside for anyone who bought at much higher prices: "You would feel sick if you just bought one of these at full retail, then watched this video."
What can be done?
Porterfield's walkthrough focused on details that can make the difference between a bargain and a costly mistake.
Over the course of the video, he repeatedly checked battery condition, mileage, keys, trim level, and auction grade, while also flagging issues such as one e-Expert showing 100% state of health and another with a broken speedometer and media unit.
VAT was another constant reminder. Porterfield kept saying "plus VAT" because these vans carried an extra 20% on top of the bid, which materially changes the final price for an independent buyer or dealer.
He also set bids against CAP Clean or CAP Average valuations and noted when Enterprise stock was held off-site instead of at the auction house. The video emphasized checking guide values against bids, confirming faults, and watching whether sellers were prepared to accept current market pricing.
Where can I learn more?
If those auction prices surprised you, the wider used-EV market helps explain the gap between what buyers will pay and what sellers still want. These stories dig into battery-health grading, residual values, ownership costs, and the myths still shaping EV demand.
• In the U.K., BCA's battery-health grading system is giving used-EV buyers clearer pricing signals.
• Connected Energy says second-life battery projects can help protect EV residual values.
• Drivers who keep their vehicles for years often find EV maintenance costs undercut gas models.
• Auto experts keep debunking old EV myths as lower running costs win over skeptics.
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