The Cheapest Used PHEV You Can Buy In 2025 Was Ahead Of Its Time

Electrical autos are bettering frequently, with next-generation fashions from the likes of Toyota and Hyundai set to eclipse the 500-mile range benchmark because of the occasion of solid-state batteries. The batteries at current utilized in EVs are constituted of lithium-ion, which reduces peak range significantly, even when many new examples can attain spherical 300 miles sooner than needing a value. These is perhaps pretty expensive though, and older used EVs provide a significantly diminished range due to their batteries deteriorating over time.

Due to this, in case you are on an excellent funds, a plug-in hybrid of some type is an efficient shout. These provide an sincere amount of EV-only driving that’s out there in useful for shorter journeys, whereas an ordinary engine is accessible to boost its range significantly for longer drives. That’s the most reasonably priced used EV within the market as we communicate.

This textual content shines a light-weight on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, as a result of it is essentially the most reasonably priced used PHEV chances are you’ll select up on the used market on widespread, along with one of many forward-thinking of its type.

The 2011 Chevy Volt Kicked Off A New Revolution

Whereas hybrid autos had been spherical for over a decade by the purpose the Chevrolet Volt arrived throughout the closing moments of 2010, the Toyota Prius having been within the market since 1997, Chevy’s new youngster was completely completely different. A regular hybrid makes use of an ordinary interior combustion engine to drive the wheels like an ordinary vehicle, however moreover encompasses a battery alongside that helps the auto to hurry up, decreasing the work that the engine needs to carry out and thus saving gasoline.

The Volt was considered one of many first mass-produced plug-in hybrid autos on the planet, with its entrance wheels instead being pushed solely by a single electrical motor that may get its vitality from a lithium-ion battery, which is exactly how an ordinary EV works. What items the Volt apart is that it moreover comes with a 1.4-liter gasoline engine, which isn’t associated to the wheels. The powerplant fires up when the battery runs out of juice, and runs {{an electrical}} generator to keep up the battery topped up until the gasoline tank runs dry.

The Volt Was On the market Worldwide

Regular Motors wanted to start out out a model new sample with the Volt, which took the type of a compact liftback sedan that was as comfortable on longer, faster roads as a result of it was on tighter metropolis streets. It was moreover equipped as a result of the Holden Volt for the Australasian market, whereas Europeans obtained it badged as each an Opel or Vauxhall Ampera. No matter being the best-selling PHEV automotive to at present, with over 130,000 discovering householders, they’re worth little or no in 2025.

Used Volts Can Be Had For Peanuts

In response to Kelley Blue E-book, chances are you’ll depend on to pick up a used, high-mileage 2011 Volt for spherical $6k, a small fraction of its distinctive $40,000 MSRP. This drop in value appears far more attractive when you concentrate on that with inflation, a brand-new Volt would have worth you the equal of $57,000 in as we communicate’s money. AutoTempest, a site that collates labeled auto listings from throughout the US, backs up this value, with a great deal of respectable examples on the market at this worth degree.

Spend a bit further though, and you’ll uncover tidy Volts with decrease than 100,000 miles on the clock for spherical $7k. Take a gray 2013 mannequin purchased by Cars.com, which has lined merely 87,000 miles as of July 2025. It comes with the identical outdated commonplace instruments like native climate administration and Bluetooth connectivity, along with a specific energy-saving Bose audio system developed notably for the Volt.

The Volt Boasts A Sturdy Reliability Report

The Volt is also terribly low price on the used market, nevertheless that doesn’t suggest it would spend most of its life at the side of the freeway. The model has confirmed to be reliable thus far, with RepairPal estimating {{that a}} sturdy specimen will solely worth you spherical $575 per 12 months to keep up working successfully. As far as frequent points, the Volt wouldn’t endure from many. Regular electrical factors seem like most common on older cars, with the Nationwide Freeway Guests Safety Administration displaying that the most common complaints leveled on the model are electrical system points. A whole of 23 of the final 47 complaints cowl this, with one of many frequent sicknesses being that the LCD driver’s knowledge show fails. A different cluster could worth upwards of $500.

Being an older vehicle, chances are you’ll even have to make sure its battery is in good working order. If it needs altering, chances are you’ll should anticipate an unlimited bill by going to a Chevy vendor, so discovering a reconditioned unit or discovering an answer to revive yours could be the additional economical resolution to go.

The Volt Was Ahead Of Its Time

GM managed to get a bounce on its Western rivals with the Volt, as a result of the likes of BMW, Ford, and Volkswagen didn’t launch their very personal PHEV decisions for a minimum of a couple of years after the Volt was launched to most people. Its powertrain was impressively potent, given its single motor supplied a useful 149 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, all of which bought right here instantaneously. To help enhance the automotive’s effectivity even further, the Volt was outfitted with an energy regeneration setup, which works by recovering vitality by normally wasted kinetic energy created all through braking.

Whereas the Volt could journey between 25 and 50 miles on pure EV vitality, counting on the circumstances, the 1.4-liter engine can add north of 300 miles to the general range when the battery lastly runs out of juice. Given the sturdy range and responsive powertrain, the Volt works excellently as a nippy runaround. Exterior of the costly practice of adjusting a poorly battery, this low price PHEV may even be easy in your pockets on a day-to-day basis, from a maintenance along with effectivity standpoint.

BMW’s Range-Extending i3 Is Moreover A Bit Of A Discount

To ensure that you a cheap used PHEV, nevertheless want an far more compact reply for tighter areas, then a used BMW i3 could present to be a larger shout than the Volt. KBB estimates that you might seize a higher-mileage 2014 i3 Range Extender for spherical $7k, which is a bit bit larger than its pure-EV sibling. AutoTempest backs up this valuation, with many sub-100,000-mile RE examples listed for spherical this worth.

Whereas the Range Extender shares the similar 130 kW electrical motor as the normal mannequin, which is mounted on the rear axle and powers the once more wheels, it moreover sports activities actions a small 650 cc inline-two engine that may vitality {{an electrical}} generator to keep up the battery topped up for longer, similar to the Volt. Whereas the normal i3 can deal with 110 miles on a single price, the added engine means the RE variant can journey for spherical 185 miles sooner than it needs a value or a gasoline tank refill. The extra weight added by the powerplant does blunt its effectivity barely, given the normal model can attain 60 mph in 7.0 seconds, whereas the RE takes 7.9 seconds.

When compared with the Volt, the i3 is a full 20 inches shorter, which helps make it a further maneuverable proposition when using it in tighter areas. Counting on the place you spend most of your driving time, the Volt and i3 every symbolize superb value strategies of getting atmosphere pleasant PHEVs in your life.