The most popular used EV in the 25 states with significant sales is either the Nissan Leaf or the Tesla Model S

• The Nissan Leaf is the most popular used electric car in the 25 states with the highest used electric vehicle sales according to a study by car search engine and automotive research firm iSeeCars.
• The Leaf is the most popular used electric vehicle of choice in 18 of the 25 states, including Tesla's home state of California.
• The remaining seven states prefer the Tesla Model S.
• Nationally, 27.7% of used electric vehicle sales are for the Leaf, while 17.8% are for the Model S.

The Nissan Leaf is the most popular used electric car in the 25 states with the highest used electric vehicle sales according to a study by car search engine and automotive research firm iSeeCars.

iSeeCars analyzed over 54,000 used electric vehicle sales from 2019 to September 2020 to establish data points for the study. Each car model was then translated into a respective percent of the country's total electric vehicle sales, and data from the 25 states with the highest used electric vehicle sales was then further examined.

Despite Tesla's undeniable popularity and several automakers present in the electric vehicle race, of these 25 states, the seven states with the highest used electric vehicle sales all had the Nissan Leaf at the top of their "most popular used electric vehicle" list.

Overall, the Leaf topped the "most popular used electric vehicle" list in 18 of the 25 states. This includes California, the home state of Tesla.

The Tesla Model S was the most popular used electric vehicle model in the remaining seven states.

Nissan Leaf:

• California — 21.8% share of used EV sales
• Washington — 50.5% share of used EV sales
• Hawaii — 61.3% share of used EV sales
• Oregon — 37.0% share of used EV sales
• Arizona — 22.3% share of used EV sales
• Utah — 35% share of used EV sales
• Colorado — 42.9% share of used EV sales
• Georgia — 42% share of used EV sales
• Maryland — 26.3% share of used EV sales
• Connecticut — 30.1% share of used EV sales
• Idaho — 27.5% share of used EV sales
• Massachusetts — 33% share of used EV sales
• Minnesota — 47.7% share of used EV sales
• North Carolina — 32.9% share of used EV sales
• New Mexico — 34.8% share of used EV sales
• New York — 23.6% share of used EV sales
• Ohio — 29.6% share of used EV sales
• Kansas — 30.3% share of used EV sales

Tesla Model S:

• Nevada — 28.7% share of used EV sales
• Florida — 22.5% share of used EV sales
• Texas — 33% share of used EV sales
• Illinois — 33.8% share of used EV sales
• Nebraska — 28.6% share of used EV sales
• Virginia — 30.3% share of used EV sales
• New Jersey — 28.7% share of used EV sales

Nationally, the Leaf dominates with its 27.7% grip of all used electric vehicle sales, while the Model S falls short at 17.8%.

Hawaii — which has the third most used electric vehicle sales in the country — leads the Leaf popularity list with its 61.3% share of used EV sales. According to Karl Brauer, the executive analyst at iSeeCars.com, the chain of islands exceed in used electric vehicle sales because it has the highest gas prices of any state in the US.

"Hawaiian utilities offer $10,000 rebates on new Nissan Leafs, so the popularity of these vehicles among drivers extends to the used market as well," Brauer said in a statement.

Generally speaking, the reason for the Nissan Leaf popularity comes down to one simple thing: price.

"Despite Tesla's growth in the electric vehicle market, the Nissan Leaf is more popular among used electric vehicle buyers," Brauer said in a statement. "This is likely due to the Leaf's affordability with a used car price of $13,054 compared to a used Tesla Model S at $48,996, as well as its brand recognition as the first mass-market electric vehicle that's been on the market for a decade."