EVs, sustainability, residuals

Electric vehicles are rising faster than the broader used-car market, just as Cox Automotive is pushing new sustainability projects deeper into auctions, dealerships and battery recycling. (niada.com) (coxautoinc.com) The National Independent Automobile Dealers Association said March wholesale prices hit their highest point since summer 2023, with the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index at 215.3, up 6.2% from a year earlier and 1.4% from February. Its report said the electric-vehicle index rose 7.9% year over year, outpacing the overall market. (niada.com) Cox Automotive published its Earth Day update on April 21, 2026 and said it is piloting a water-reuse system at Manheim Nashville that could save up to 1.2 million gallons a year across an operation that washes about 125,000 cars annually. At Manheim San Francisco, it said two new solar canopies add about 600,000 kilowatt-hours of onsite generation each year. (coxautoinc.com) Residual value is the share of a vehicle’s original price that it is expected to keep over time, and it shapes lease payments, lender risk and auction strategy. Kelley Blue Book’s 2026 resale-value awards said Toyota vehicles are projected to retain an average 53% of original sticker price over five years, while Lexus averages 47%. (mediaroom.kbb.com) That math is getting harder to model for electric vehicles because wholesale prices, charging infrastructure, battery condition and end-of-life handling now move together. Cox Automotive said its EV Battery Solutions business supports 26 original-equipment manufacturer partners, covers 85% of the U.S. auto market and is built to protect battery value across storage, logistics, repair and recycling. (coxautoinc.com) Battery recycling has become part of that resale conversation because more used electric vehicles are reaching auctions and lease returns. Cox Automotive said on March 12 that it had recovered more than 10 million pounds of black mass and expects EVs to rise from about 5% of lease maturities in 2025 to more than 12% in 2026. (coxautoinc.com) The company said its Oklahoma City battery-recycling center uses a dry process that can recover up to 94% of materials, while its broader battery business also handles diagnostics, remanufacturing and safe transport. Those services matter in remarketing because battery condition can change a used EV’s price more than mileage or trim alone. (coxautoinc.com 1) (coxautoinc.com 2) At the same time, the broader used market is tightening. NIADA said days’ supply fell below 40 in March and Manheim sales conversion reached 68.2%, a sign that dealers are competing harder for inventory even as acquisition costs rise. (niada.com) Cox Automotive said it is evaluating whether its Nashville water pilot can scale across more than 80 Manheim locations. If electric vehicles keep outperforming in wholesale lanes, the industry’s residual-value debate will increasingly include not just what a car is worth today, but what its battery can still do tomorrow. (coxautoinc.com) (niada.com)