Man who's been using Tesla Model 3 for 6 months for Uber and deliveries reveals the 'sweet spot' of depreciation to aim for
Published on Apr 24, 2026 at 4:32 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Apr 24, 2026 at 4:32 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
If you are the owner of a Tesla Model 3 EV, depreciation could be a concern you have, but a man who’s used one as an Uber and for deliveries has revealed what he thinks the ‘sweet spot’ is.
YouTuber Luke Delivers has conducted this work with the car for six months, meaning it will have done a fair few miles in that short space of time.
Depreciation in value can affect a lot of cars, and EVs seem to have it worse than others.
But it does appear that there is a nice sweet spot if you’re looking to buy an electric car, as Luke explained in his video.
What is the depreciation sweet spot for the Tesla Model 3?
Luke stated in the video that the prices of the Model 3 EV have dropped since he has owned it.
But there is a sweet spot for buying one at the best price.
“I think the sweet spot, if you are to get one, you wanna go for one that is 2020 or 2021,” said Luke
“If you get a 2020 model, make sure it is the late 2020 model,” added Luke.
This includes the facelift, giving the Model 3 a slicker and refreshed design.
Cost-wise, this would set you back £16,000 in the UK, or roughly $21,500.
That represents a big drop from the full retail price.
It perfectly shows why some are hesitant to buy a new EV from a new company, given how fast prices can drop.
Which electric cars depreciate the most?
A recent study by iSeeCars highlighted which five-year-old cars are currently depreciating by the biggest margins.
Out of the top five, three of the cars were electric vehicles.
At the top was the Nissan Leaf EV.
iSeeCars said that these drop up to 63.1 percent of their value, around $17,743.
The Volkswagen ID.4 was in third place, losing 62.1 percent of its value.
As a higher-priced car, the value came down by a larger figure of $28,010.
Just below it was the Tesla Model S, losing 62 percent of its value.
That equated to around $58,907, a massive decrease.
The Tesla Model X was the 7th most depreciating car, losing 61.2 percent of its value, or $61,216.
So if you are looking to buy an electric car second-hand, the chances of finding a good deal seem quite high.
Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a heritage steam railway.
