Electric Cars in Brazil Depreciate Up to Six Times More Than Combustion Vehicles, With Losses of Up to 45% in Just a Few Years

Written by Noel Budeguer

Published on 04/09/2025 at 18:31

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Electric Cars in Brazil Register Average Depreciation of 38% to 45% in Up to 3 Years, Compared to 10% for Combustion Vehicles. Expensive Batteries, Low Liquidity, and Rapid Technological Obsolescence Increase Risk to Consumers

Buying an electric car in Brazil may seem like a bet on the future of mobility, but there is one detail that frightens those considering resale: accelerated depreciation.

While combustion vehicles lose on average just over 2% of their value per year, 100% electric models can experience declines that are six times greater, raising alarms for consumers who plan to switch cars within a few years.

Depreciation Well Above Average

According to a survey published by the newspaper O Tempo, electric vehicles with two to three years of use are sold for up to 45% below the Fipe Table, even when they have low mileage.

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Why Do Electric Cars Lose So Much Value?

There are three main reasons for this difference:

Rapid Technological Evolution – new releases come to market with greater range and features, making models from a few years ago less attractive.
Uncertainty About the Battery – in Brazil, there is still skepticism about the durability of batteries, which cost nearly the price of the car to be replaced.
Insufficient Infrastructure – the low availability of charging points and specialized workshops discourages potential buyers of used vehicles, reducing liquidity in this market.

According to Webmotors, the average time an electric vehicle spends in stock is up to 26% longer than that of combustion or hybrid models, indicating that resale is slower and more difficult.

Direct Impact on Consumers’ Wallets

A study by UAI showed that some electric models lost up to 38% of their value in just one year, something rarely seen among traditional cars.

For those buying with the idea of switching vehicles in the medium term, this detail can represent a loss of tens of thousands of reais.

Additionally, as prices for new models remain high in Brazil, the sharp drop in resale value discourages those wishing to transition to electric mobility, hindering part of the expected growth for the sector.

Is the Risk Worth It?

The Brazilian electric car market is still in a maturity phase, and this is directly reflected in resale prices.

For those looking for a vehicle for long-term use, the purchase can be interesting due to lower maintenance costs and savings on fuel.

However, anyone considering resale in a few years needs to be aware that the depreciation of an electric car is much more aggressive than that of a combustion car, potentially reaching up to six times more.

In practice, the recommendation is simple: be cautious when buying an electric car in Brazil if the intention is to use it merely as a stepping stone for a quick model change.

The loss in value can turn the dream of sustainable mobility into a considerable setback.

Electric Cars in Brazil Depreciate Up to Six Times More Than Combustion Vehicles, With Losses of Up to 45% in Just a Few Years

Electric Cars in Brazil Register Average Depreciation of 38% to 45% in Up to 3 Years, Compared to 10% for Combustion Vehicles. Expensive Batteries, Low Liquidity, and Rapid Technological Obsolescence Increase Risk to Consumers

Depreciation Well Above Average

Why Do Electric Cars Lose So Much Value?

Direct Impact on Consumers’ Wallets

Is the Risk Worth It?

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Electric Cars in Brazil Depreciate Up to Six Times More Than Combustion Vehicles, With Losses of Up to 45% in Just a Few Years

Electric Cars in Brazil Register Average Depreciation of 38% to 45% in Up to 3 Years, Compared to 10% for Combustion Vehicles. Expensive Batteries, Low Liquidity, and Rapid Technological Obsolescence Increase Risk to Consumers

Depreciation Well Above Average

Why Do Electric Cars Lose So Much Value?

Direct Impact on Consumers’ Wallets

Is the Risk Worth It?

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Discovery in Africa scares even scientists: a study published on April 23 reveals that the crust in Turkana has become so thin that it could pave the way for the continent’s division and the emergence of an ocean in the future, in a gigantic geological transformation.

Austria inaugurates Europe’s first high-speed railway outside China — trains travel at 250 km/h through 33 km tunnels in the Alps that took 27 years to drill

Japanese garbage collectors treat filthy trucks as if they were dealership cars, and the obsession with cleanliness is so absurd that they invented a washing machine that only exists for this type of vehicle.

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Lesotho activates a giant 423-meter tunnel boring machine to accelerate the 38 km tunnel between Polihali and Katse, while the dam already exceeds 7.7 million m³ of rockfill and advances to strengthen water and energy in Southern Africa.

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