Audi e-tron Models Are Depreciating at a Mind-Boggling Rate
It isn’t alone in that regard, but the Audi e-tron lineup is depreciating at a rate that’s roughly three times faster than its ICE counterparts.
Some time ago, Audi put all of its chips into all-electric vehicles, committing to transitioning its entire lineup to EVs over the next few years. At the time, this was the fashionable thing to do, with most automakers/brands following suit. However, over the past few months – following a massive surge – EV sales have softened considerably as demand weakens, which has prompted many of those same automakers to pull back or delay investments into electrification. Meanwhile, some early adopters – such as Audi e-tron buyers – are facing their own dilemma in terms of what is proving to be rapid depreciation of those models, according to Ed Bolian of VINwiki.
As Bolian points out in this recent video, many EVs are depreciating at a rate that far exceeds what’s typical of most vehicles, electrified or not. The Audi e-tron lineup is among the worst offenders, however, as he covers in detail. First up, we have the 2022 Audi e-tron GT Premium Plus, which was sold with an average MSRP of $102,400. Today, the average asking retail price for one of these models is $68,806 – just 67.2 percent of its original value – with the average wholesale price coming in at a mere $58,700, or a 57.3 percent residual value.
Next up, we have the 2022 Audi e-tron GT Prestige, which was sold with an average MSRP of $109,600. Today, that same model is selling – on average – for $74,168 at retail or just 67.7 percent of its original value, or $64,000 at wholesale (58.3 percent residual). Finally, the high-performance 2022 Audi RS e-tron GT and its MSRP of $142,400 pales in comparison to today’s selling prices on the used market – $98,261 at retail (69 percent residual) and $79,100 (55.5 percent) wholesale.
Granted, these numbers wouldn’t be terribly alarming if we were talking about a five-year depreciation rate, but these cars are a mere one, nearly two years old. Of course, the Audi e-tron family isn’t alone in that regard, as it’s joined by the likes of models like the Jaguar I-Pace, Lucid Air, Mercedes-Benz EQS, and the Tesla Model S and X, all of which have lost a tremendous amount of value in a short period of time. But while one might assume that this is just an EV problem in general, as Bolian notes, the GMC Hummer EV, along with the Rivian R1T and R1S, are holding their value quite nicely in today’s market.
Of course, it is worth remembering that luxury vehicles have historically depreciated at far more rapid rates than their mass market counterparts, and we’re talking about ICE, not EVs. Difference is, that gap tends to be around 10 percent more than mainstream models, not 30-40 percent, as is the case with many of these. Thus, at least for the foreseeable future, the smart move might just be to find a gently used Audi e-tron rather than plunking down your hard-earned money for a new one – only to watch a third of that money evaporate in just a year.
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