California man buys new 2026 Tesla Model X Plaid for $118,880 and manages to sell it for a surprising profit after driving 7,000 miles in it

This California man made a surprising profit when he bought a 2026 Tesla Model X Plaid for $118,880 and sold it after driving 7,000 miles.

The used EV market isn’t often thought of as a treasure trove.

With all that’s been said about depreciation and batteries, you would think anyone trying to sell a used Tesla would be in for a huge loss.

But this guy may well have just bucked the trend – how did he do it?

Why used EVs aren’t usually big moneymakers

When it comes to the used car market, you often have a pretty good idea of what will bring in the big bucks.

Cars that mark the end of an era – like a Ferrari 458 – or are exceptionally rare, are almost guaranteed to do very well.

But EVs? They tend to be written off.

One car depreciation expert found that there was effectively no used market for secondhand EVs.

“One concern is battery lifespan. How long is the battery going to be going to be usable and is it going to need recommissioning?” Harry Edworthy, the founder of Autofolio, told Supercar Blondie.

“I think maybe people aren’t quite ready yet to move onto EVs for one, maybe it’s a slight fear, maybe it’s a concern about infrastructure.”

It’s almost become conventional wisdom at this point.

So you can imagine the internet’s collective shock about one 2026 Tesla Model X Plaid that went up for sale in California.

This man wanted to sell his 2026 Tesla Model X Plaid after 7,000 miles

Brought brand new for $118,880, this 2026 Tesla Model X Plaid has gone on to sell for $146,000 at auction on Cars & Bids.

It almost seems inexplicable, doesn’t it?

There’s a few factors that could explain this amazing turnaround.

How this surprising $146,000 resale price defied depreciation

First of all, this sale really goes to show that timing can be everything.

The seller said he took delivery of the car on March 27, 2026.

Those of you with an encyclopedic knowledge of Tesla lore will recall that this was just four days before the company halted production on the Model S and Model X.

That makes this particular unit a very late addition to the Model X family.

There’s also the fact that this unit was finished off in Frost Blue Metallic, a color introduced for the car’s final model year.

The appeal is all there, front and center – it’s like a store doing a closing down sale with a ‘Buy them while you can!’ advertising line.

That’s not to diminish this EV, it’s a stunning car that’s been kept in tip-top condition.

It’s just a surprise.

A writer from Autoevolution captured the tone perfectly when he wrote: “What on Earth just happened here? […] I know Tesla killed the Model X, but I didn’t think it would have made this much difference on the used EV market.”

We asked Harry Edworthy at Autofolio what he made of this, in light of our previous conversation about EVs and depreciation.

“I would say this is likely to have occurred for one of two reasons,” he told Supercar Blondie.

“One – With the Model X being discontinued and the Plaid being the ultimate model, there could be growing demand for these cars, as Tesla doesn’t make cars like this any more.

“Two – Auction mentality. There is a chance that two individuals got invested in the bidding, which led to this result. 

“You can’t dispute the sale compared to the sticker price… But despite this example going up in price. I would still NOT recommend buying an electric car as an investment car.”

Is this a one-off blip or something we can expect to see more of? Only time will tell.