Everything people ask us

We are a free electric-vehicle buying service. You tell us where you would charge, how far you drive and roughly what you want to spend. An EV specialist works out which used electric cars genuinely suit you, checks their battery health, and brings you a shortlist. You skip the showrooms and the guesswork, and you only go ahead if something is right.

Yes. There is no charge to you at any point. We are paid by the seller or the finance provider when a purchase goes ahead, which is what keeps the service free. You are never obliged to buy anything.

No, and most people who come to us do not. If all you have is a budget and a rough sense that an EV might suit you, that is plenty. Working out which car fits is the job.

No, and it is a fair question. EV Depot is owned by the same people as EVFinder, so we tell you that plainly. But the reason to use us is the access you do not have: cars in the dealer and trade network before they are publicly listed, and the ex-fleet and ex-novated-lease EVs coming off three and four year contracts. If the right car is one of those, or listed by a complete stranger interstate, that is the one we bring you.

Access to cars you cannot see yourself, and someone doing the checking for you. We look across trade-network stock before it is advertised, ex-fleet and ex-novated-lease EVs coming off contract, and everything publicly listed anywhere in Australia. Then we verify the condition of the ones worth your time.

A full mechanical and safety inspection, rather than a quick look around a car park. Along with a battery test and a warranty, it applies to every car we recommend — wherever we source it. If a car cannot clear all three, we do not put it in front of you.

Yes, we work Australia-wide. Where you are does affect the practicalities — charging infrastructure and transport costs both vary — and we will be upfront with you about that for your location.

The form takes about a minute, and a specialist will usually be in touch within one business day. How long the search itself takes depends on how specific your requirements are.

Less than the brochure says, and not what the dashboard estimate claims either — that figure is calculated from recent driving, so it flatters a car that has been pottering around the suburbs. We test the battery to establish what capacity genuinely remains, then convert that into real-world range for the way you drive, allowing for highway speeds, climate control and Australian conditions.

We want a battery state-of-health report — a measured figure showing how much of the pack's original capacity remains — along with who tested it and by what method, since an on-board diagnostic snapshot and a full charge/discharge test are not equivalent. Every car we recommend has been battery tested, wherever we sourced it.

On its own, the percentage is close to meaningless — it only matters once you translate it into kilometres and compare that against your actual driving. What we look at is whether the pack is behaving in line with others of the same age and chemistry, how much battery warranty remains, and whether the range that is left comfortably covers your week with room to spare.

Most EVs sold in Australia carry a separate battery warranty, commonly around eight years or 160,000 km, under which the manufacturer will repair or replace the pack if capacity drops below a stated threshold. Whether that warranty transfers to a second owner varies by manufacturer, so we confirm it in writing for the specific vehicle before recommending it.

It is risky if nobody has checked the battery, because that is where the value sits and it is not visible from the outside. Once it has been measured, a used EV is a fairly predictable purchase. The whole point of the service is to move you from guessing to knowing.

Often yes, but it changes which car makes sense, which is why it is the first thing we ask. Street parking, apartment buildings and workplace charging each have workable answers and each have situations where an EV is not the right call yet. We will tell you honestly which one you are in.

It depends almost entirely on where you charge. Overnight at home on an off-peak or EV tariff is the cheapest, and public DC fast charging is by far the most expensive. Our running-costs guide has a calculator you can put your own electricity rate and driving into.

Usually on energy and servicing, if you can charge at home. Tyres tend to cost more because EVs are heavier, and insurance can be dearer depending on the model. We go through the real numbers for the specific cars on your shortlist, including the ones that count against them.

No. Any weekly figure shown on this site is an indicative estimate to help you budget, calculated at an illustrative rate over an illustrative term. It is not a quote, an offer of credit or credit assistance, and it does not take your objectives, financial situation or needs into account. Your actual repayments depend on the lender, term, fees and your circumstances.

We can point you to a finance partner if that is useful, and you are free to arrange your own or pay outright. Many people do. It makes no difference to how we work for you.

Salary packaging can change the maths on an EV considerably, and the rules have changed more than once. If you are considering it, mention it when you get in touch, because it affects which cars are worth shortlisting. Confirm your eligibility with your employer and a qualified adviser rather than relying on general information.

We use it to help you find a car and to contact you about your enquiry. We do not sell your personal information. You can read exactly what we collect and why on our Privacy page, including how to access, correct or delete it.

No. Submitting the form means an EVFinder specialist may contact you about your enquiry by phone, SMS and email, and you can opt out at any time and we will stop.