07/17/2026
SALEM, Ohio – As far as Russ Hardenburgh is concerned, the public hasn’t applied the brakes when it comes to its interest in electric vehicles.
Indeed, the general manager of Yalcars, Salem, says the appetite for EVs is still very strong among buyers across the Mahoning Valley and northeastern Ohio. The difference is that the customers patronizing his dealership have a specific vehicle in mind – a used, reliable EV that is priced well below the stickers of new factory models.
“It’s absolutely a growing market,” Hardenburgh says. “They’re getting better with charging, they’re getting better with batteries. It’s going to continue to grow.”
Sales of new EVs have cratered since October, after the federal government discontinued generous tax credits of up to $7,500 that consumers could apply to the purchase of many of the new EVs rolling off assembly lines. General Motors in 2022, for example, launched an ambitious goal of attaining a portfolio of only new zero-emission vehicles by 2035. Manufacturers have since backed off these goals and have claimed substantial losses, with GM recording an astounding $7.1 billion in EV-related charges in late 2025 and early 2026. Ford posted losses of $4.8 billion in 2025, and anticipates losing between $4 billion and $4.5 billion in 2026 because of EV-related business.
Yet the crash has opened enormous opportunities in the used EV market, Hardenburgh says. Many of those newer units that were manufactured three or four years ago have now come off lease, while owners have opted to trade in older models, such as Tesla, and upgrade. “It’s a mixture,” he says of his inventory. “Some are trade-ins and some are coming off lease. We’re getting them all the time.”
Hardenburgh says that used EVs offer a price point that consumers could digest, even if they are new to electric vehicles. “People usually know what model they want, and it’s just a matter of price, condition, miles and equipment,” he says. Recently, the general manager notes he sold a used Porsche EV, a Mercedes EV, and two electric-powered vans.
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