What happened The U.S. used electric-vehicle market showed a notable change in direction during the first half of 2026. Recurrent reported that prices for comparable used EVs rose 5.1% from January to June on a volume-weighted basis. The strongest appreciation was concentrated at the affordable end of the market: vehicles priced below $20,000 in January gained 9.4%, while higher-priced vehicles generally remained flat or continued to soften. Demand is being supported by a deeper supply of off-lease EVs and by buyers looking for lower-cost alternatives to new vehicles. Recurrent estimates that as many as 500,000 EV lease returns could enter the U.S. market in 2026, with up to twice that number in 2027. More than half of used EV inventory is now priced below $30,000, creating a much broader entry point for mainstream buyers. Current market signal Cox Automotive’s September market snapshot reported 36,810 used EV sales in July 2026 and an average used-EV listing price of $37,832. Recurrent also found that several popular 2023-model EVs were turning quickly: the Chevrolet Bolt EV had a median time-to-sale of 12 days, followed closely by the Ford F-150 Lightning, Kia EV6, Chevrolet Bolt EUV, BMW i4 and Tesla Model Y. Why it matters For dealers and exporters, the market is becoming more selective rather than uniformly weak. Affordable, proven models with usable real-world range and strong charging performance can sell quickly, while expensive or oversupplied models may still face depreciation pressure. The key commercial opportunity is increasingly in value-priced vehicles with transparent battery-health information and a clear total-cost-of-ownership advantage. Key numbers Used EV prices: +5.1% from January to June 2026 for comparable models. Sub-$20,000 segment: +9.4% price appreciation over the same period. Used EV sales: 36,810 units in July 2026. Average used EV listing price: $37,832 in July 2026. Projected EV lease returns: up to 500,000 units in 2026.