Electric trucks lose value faster than most buyers hope, but the answer depends on the class. Full-size electric pickups have tracked close to their gas counterparts in some wholesale data, while five-year resale figures for popular models sit below 50% of the original price. Medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks are harder to price at all, because the used market is still thin. This guide gives the numbers, explains what moves them, and shows how to estimate the value of a specific truck before you buy, sell or finance one.
TL;DR
- Five-year resale values published by iSeeCars for 2026 are 46.7% for the Ford F-150 Lightning and 44.9% for the Rivian R1T.
- Wholesale data showed full-size electric pickups retaining about the same share of value as gas pickups in September 2024, then slipping in early 2025.
- Class 8 and other heavy-duty electric trucks lack used-market comparables, so residual values are estimates, and early data points to faster declines than diesel.
- Battery health, service records, warranty status and new-truck pricing move the price more than anything else.
- Battery packs, chassis and e-axles keep value of their own, which gives heavy electric trucks a floor.
Table of Contents
- What the resale numbers say for electric pickups
- Heavy-duty electric trucks: a different market
- What moves an electric truck's resale price
- How to estimate the value of your electric truck
- Buying used: where the opportunity is
- Selling an electric truck: get the most out of it
- Our view: price the battery, not the badge
- List your truck where commercial buyers search
- FAQ
- Sources
What the resale numbers say for electric pickups
Start with the part of the market that has the most data: full-size pickups.
Black Book analysts said in late 2024 that full-size electric pickups were unusual among EVs. As of September 2024, they averaged 72.2% retention, against 72.86% for internal combustion pickups. That is a near tie, and it surprised people who expected EVs to lag across the board.
The tie did not hold. By February 2025, wholesale data showed electric pickups averaging 65.5% of Equipped Retail value, a drop of 6.7 percentage points from September 2024. Retention here means the share of the equipped retail value that a used truck brings at wholesale. It is a trade-in lens, not what a private buyer pays.
Over a longer window the picture is weaker. iSeeCars' 2026 five-year resale values put the Ford F-150 Lightning at 46.7% and the Rivian R1T at 44.9%. In plain terms, a truck that cost $70,000 new would be worth roughly $31,000 to $33,000 after five years on those averages. Treat that as a planning figure, not a quote: trim, mileage and condition move any single truck well away from an average.
Why the early numbers looked so strong
Some electric trucks launched with market prices well above MSRP, driven by waitlists and scarcity. Black Book's residual value manager noted that those trucks then depreciated rapidly as newer models arrived. If you are comparing a used price today to a launch-era headline, you are comparing against an inflated starting point.
A simple worked example
Say you are looking at a five-year-old electric pickup that listed at $70,000 new.
| Scenario | Retention | Approximate value |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale benchmark, early 2025 pickups | 65.5% of equipped retail value | Applies to newer trucks, not five-year-old ones |
| Five-year resale, Lightning (2026 data) | 46.7% | About $32,700 |
| Five-year resale, R1T (2026 data) | 44.9% | About $31,400 |
The math is simple multiplication, but the inputs are not interchangeable. The first row measures wholesale retention of equipped retail value on newer trucks. The other two measure five-year resale. Do not mix them in one estimate.
Heavy-duty electric trucks: a different market
Pickups trade in volume. Class 8 tractors, box trucks and vocational electric trucks do not.
Analysts at ACT Research and Price Digests point out that the lack of transaction data in the medium- and heavy-duty used electric market makes residual forecasting harder than in the established diesel market. The same coverage notes that early data suggests these trucks are declining faster than diesel equivalents.
Two things sit behind that. Diesel tractors have decades of auction results, known rebuild costs and a deep pool of buyers. An electric tractor has few sales to compare, a technology that changes quickly, and buyers who worry about battery life. Few comparables means wide price ranges and long listing times.
The battery as a residual value floor
There is a counterweight. CALSTART's financial modeling shows that battery packs, chassis and e-axles can retain 15% to 25% of the truck's initial value at the five-year mark. That gives lenders and sellers a minimum benchmark. CALSTART's component-based approach also suggests residual values may exceed the conservative assumptions lenders often use.
The longer view is more optimistic still. After eight years, battery-electric trucks may retain higher residual value than diesel trucks, because used battery packs have value in secondary uses such as stationary energy storage. That is a modeled outlook, not a track record. Plan around the near-term decline and treat the long-term upside as a bonus.
For a deeper look at how residual assumptions shape lease and finance terms, see our piece on why truck residual value matters for fleets and leasing.
What moves an electric truck's resale price
The market treats two electric trucks of the same model and year very differently depending on a handful of factors.
Battery health and age
Battery state of health is the single biggest question a used buyer asks. Coverage of the Class 8 used market lists battery health, age, mileage and service records as the important factors, along with the chance of battery reconditioning or second-life use. A seller who can show a battery health report sells faster and defends the price better than one who cannot.
Warranty coverage
Warranty transfer matters because battery replacement is the largest fear. Several EV manufacturers offer 8-year, 100,000-mile battery warranties, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center. A truck inside that window carries reassurance that an older one does not. Check your own warranty terms, including whether coverage passes to a second owner, and what happens at the mileage limit.
Mileage and duty cycle
A work truck that hauled near its rated capacity every day has a different battery history than a weekend pickup. Record how the truck was used: payload, typical route length, towing, and how often it fast-charged. Buyers will ask.
New-truck pricing and model changes
When manufacturers cut new prices or release a refreshed model, used values reset downward. This is the most common reason a fairly priced used truck suddenly looks expensive. Before you set an asking price, check what a comparable new truck costs today, not at the time you bought.
Charging access and running costs
For many buyers, the appeal of an EV is overnight charging at home or at the depot. Initial costs can be offset by fuel savings and by state and utility incentives. A buyer who already has charging in place will pay more than one who must install it, so mention what is included, such as a home or depot charger.
How to estimate the value of your electric truck
Use a repeatable process rather than one number from a website.
- Identify the truck class. Pickup, medium-duty or Class 8. Pickup data is deep. Heavy-duty data is not.
- Pull published resale benchmarks. Use the five-year figures above as a sanity check, then adjust for your trim, mileage and condition.
- Get a battery health report. CALSTART advises assessing battery state of health and the resale potential of components such as the battery pack, chassis and e-axle, including second-life use. Put a number on each.
- Find live asking prices. Look at comparable trucks listed now, in your region, with similar mileage. Asking prices are not sale prices, so expect to land below the top of the range.
- Adjust for incentives and new-truck pricing. Check the current new price, and note that tax credits that applied at your purchase may no longer exist for the next buyer.
- Set a floor. For heavy trucks, add up component value as a minimum you will not go below.
For fleets: retain by condition, not by calendar
Fleet operators often replace trucks on a fixed schedule. Geotab's analysis suggests that moving to condition-based retention, using battery-health data, is fundamental to lowering lifetime cost per mile for commercial electric truck operators. For resale, that means a truck kept while its battery is healthy and sold before a steep decline may bring more than one dumped on a set date. Our guide to truck fleet disposal covers timing and process.
Buying used: where the opportunity is
Slow resale for sellers is lower prices for buyers. A used electric truck after its steepest depreciation can cost far less per mile of remaining life than a new one, especially for fleets with predictable routes and depot charging.
Checks before you buy:
- Ask for a battery state-of-health report, not a dashboard screenshot.
- Confirm the warranty is transferable and see how many years and miles remain.
- Request service records and any software update history.
- Match range to your real route, including winter conditions and loaded weight.
- Price the charging setup you will need.
If you are weighing an electric tractor against a diesel one, our electric semi trucks buying guide covers range, cost and use cases, and our leasing versus buying guide shows how residual risk can be shifted onto a lessor. Buyers expanding beyond trucks can also read about electric heavy equipment.
Selling an electric truck: get the most out of it
Presentation changes outcomes more than most sellers expect.
- Document everything. Battery report, charging history if available, service invoices, warranty paperwork.
- State the configuration clearly. Battery pack size, range rating, trim, towing or payload package, and included charging equipment.
- Price against current new trucks. Buyers compare to what a dealer can sell them new today.
- Reach the right audience. A general car site buries a commercial truck. Commercial buyers search by category, price and country, so list where they look.
- Be honest about condition. Disclosed wear sells. Surprises cost you the deal.
If you are also moving diesel units out of a fleet while you electrify, see our guides on how to sell a dump truck fast and on reconditioning used equipment before listing.
Our view: price the battery, not the badge
We run a marketplace where dealers and private sellers list commercial trucks and industrial equipment, so we see how listings are written and how buyers filter them. Our view is practical.
First, a pickup and a Class 8 tractor are different assets and should not share a resale assumption. The pickup market has data. The heavy market has estimates, and the honest position is that the range is wide.
Second, documentation is worth money. In a market with few comparables, the seller who can prove battery condition removes the buyer's biggest doubt. A clear listing with specifications, service history and contact details does more than a lower price with no detail.
Third, do not assume your purchase price anchors the next buyer's price. Buyers look at today's new price, today's incentives and the condition of the battery. Build your fleet plan on conservative residuals, and treat the component floor as protection, not as the forecast.
— Dave
List your truck where commercial buyers search
If you are ready to sell an electric truck, a diesel unit you are replacing, or related equipment, Sostruckforsale lets dealers and private sellers post classified listings for trucks and trailers, construction equipment, material handling, agriculture, forestry and grounds care. Buyers browse by category, subcategory, price and country, and dealers can register in the business directory.
Include your battery health report, warranty terms and service records in the listing, so serious buyers can qualify the truck before they call.
FAQ
Do electric trucks hold their resale value?
It depends on the class and the timeframe. Full-size electric pickups averaged 72.2% retention in September 2024 against 72.86% for gas pickups, but wholesale retention fell to 65.5% by February 2025, and five-year resale figures for popular models sit below 50%. Heavy-duty electric trucks have too little data for firm numbers, and early signs point to faster declines than diesel.
What is the average depreciation rate for an electric truck?
There is no single rate. Using iSeeCars' 2026 five-year figures, the F-150 Lightning keeps 46.7% of its value and the R1T keeps 44.9%, which means losses of about 53% and 55% over five years. Your truck's trim, mileage and battery condition can shift that considerably.
Does battery health affect what I can sell my truck for?
Yes. Battery health, age, mileage and service records are the main factors buyers weigh, and a documented battery report helps you defend your price. Components such as the pack, chassis and e-axle also keep value, which gives heavy electric trucks a floor of roughly 15% to 25% of original value at five years, according to CALSTART's models.
Will electric trucks be worth more than diesel trucks eventually?
Possibly for heavy-duty trucks. CALSTART's analysis suggests that after eight years, battery-electric trucks may retain higher residual value than diesel because used packs can go into stationary storage. That is a forecast, not an observed result, so do not rely on it for near-term pricing.
Sources
- Best Resale Value Electric Trucks, iSeeCars
- The State of EV with Andrew Floto, Black Book
- The 2025 EV Market Outlook, Black Book
- How might the Class 8 electric truck used market develop?, Overdrive
- Q&A: Unlocking Battery-Electric Truck Financing, CALSTART
- Battery-Electric Truck Component Resale Highlight, CALSTART
- Electric Vehicle Benefits, Alternative Fuels Data Center
- Geotab report on EV adoption, Trucknews