From Trade-Ins to Top Picks: CarMax Reveals Used EV Shopping Trends

Core Insights - CarMax reports a steady increase in consumer interest for used electric vehicles (EVs) over the last three years, with a 40% drop in average used EV prices during the same period, indicating a shift towards EV adoption [3][8] - The percentage of searches for "electric vehicle" on carmax.com has nearly doubled from January 2022 to February 2025, with notable spikes in March 2022 and June 2024 [3][8] - The Tesla Model 3 and Model Y remain the most popular EVs, while the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T have entered the top ten list for the first time [4][8] Consumer Trends - The most traded-in vehicles for EVs at CarMax are sedans and coupes, with Toyota being the top brand traded in, followed by Honda and Ford [5] - The Tesla Model 3 is the top traded-in model for an EV, with many owners transitioning to the larger Tesla Model Y [5] Regional Insights - Oregon has surpassed California as the state with the highest percentage of EV sales relative to total vehicle sales at CarMax, with California and Washington following [6][8] - New states such as Utah, New Mexico, Minnesota, and New Jersey have entered the top ten list for EV sales compared to total vehicle sales [6] Financial Performance - In the fiscal year ending February 28, 2025, CarMax sold approximately 790,000 used vehicles and 540,000 wholesale vehicles at auctions, with CarMax Auto Finance originating over $8 billion in receivables [9]