What’s The Best Cheap Used EV To Buy When Gas Becomes Too Expensive?

Gas prices around the world have skyrocketed lately thanks to President Donald Trump’s decision to link up with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and start a war with Iran. In my hometown of Los Angeles where gas prices are famously inflated on a normal day, some of the notoriously pricey gas stations are already charging over $7 for a gallon of gas. With no end in sight right now, there’s no telling when we will start seeing some relief at the pump, so allow me to pose an alternative: what’s the best cheap used EV to buy when gas becomes too expensive?

Sure, the thought of an EV-only future is daunting, but fossil fuel–powered cars will be around for a long time yet. In the meantime, it might be prudent to get a cheap, depreciated EV in order to take the strain off your wallet, if at least for the mundane act of commuting. Sound off in the comments and let your fellow Jalops know what cheap used EV you’d use to wait out these ridiculous gas price hikes.

I’ve got a soft spot for small, fun-to-drive city cars, and despite my love of Minis, I’d want a super cheap 2016 Chevrolet Spark EV when gas becomes too expensive. I’ve always secretly admired the Spark, and the Spark EV is the closest we got to any semblance of a performance variant of the subcompact city car. Still front-wheel drive, the little Spark’s single motor produced 140 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque (though later model years only had 327 lb-ft). Its lithium-ion battery pack was capable of an estimated 82-mile range, but on the bright side it’s compatible with Level 3 fast chargers, so its battery can charge to 80% in just 20 minutes, which is not bad at all.

The Spark EV wasn’t sold in every state, but it was sold in California, so there are several available online — and they’re absolute steals, with prices ranging from around $5,000 to $10,000. Their range isn’t going to be impressive, but the vast majority of my driving in LA is under 20 miles round trip, so it wouldn’t be totally useless. I think a Spark EV would be a great cheap chariot to escape the clutches of astronomical gas prices, but what cheap used EV would you get?