A new year and a fresh start, but EVs still face some headwinds. Pessimism about the sector gained traction last year, as Ford and GM downplayed their production plans and cut back on some perks for EV buyers. But pure-play EV manufacturers are churning out models and gaining market share. And policy is a big variable, with an important US election looming and potential changes in Europe and China.

Despite the uptick in EV sales, it’s worth noting that these vehicles aren’t really selling to ordinary drivers. Rather, many buyers are taking advantage of the booming used EV inventory. Used EVs typically make up the second-largest portion of EVs for sale, and the trend is growing. According to Recurrent, a company that tracks EV inventory at dealer lots, nearly half of the used EVs for sale today are models more than 10 years old.

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Even Teslas are skewing older, with only two of the top 10 most popular used EVs being Model 3s from the last three years of production. More current models are becoming available, with the likes of the Chevrolet Equinox EV and Volvo EX30 showing up as more desirable used options. The most prominent growth story is BMW plug-in hybrids, with the 5-series 530e and 3-series 330e making up a sizable chunk of available used EVs.

But there’s still a big gap in terms of the availability of cheaper EVs. It will be a few more years before “every automaker has an affordable EV on the market,” Kim says. That should be the inflection point where the market takes off, he adds.