Bolloré Bluecars for €1?

By purchasing around 3,500 Bolloré Bluecars from the former Autolib car-sharing service, Autopuzz has been able to offer second-hand electric cars at a very affordable price. But now there are less than 180 copies left in stock, selling for 5,990 euros without paint.

Expensive new, electric cars remain out of reach for many second-hand motorists. But there are still exceptions. The Bolloré Bluecar offered by Lorient-based Autopuzz is one of them. Although the price tends to rise over time, the last stock of around 180 examples is offered at €5,990 without paint. An offer that will appeal to professionals who want to stick their own decorations. To have a painted body, the price rises to 7,490 euros. In the current context, it remains very attractive. Especially since Bluecars are mostly pre-cleaned and overhauled with worn parts replaced. A €1,000 environmental bonus, a possible conversion bonus of up to €5,000 and certain local aids can still bring the bill down. In optimal conditions, Autopuzz thus awakens the possibility of reducing the bill to € 1!

Plug-in cars… often

But remember that Bolloré Bluecars are not all-electric cars like the others. Their lithium-metal-polymer battery can be considered one of the first solid state batteries on the market. But if many manufacturers today see this type of technology as the future, then it had a major drawback. Its polymer electrolyte needs to be constantly heated to 60-70 degrees, which consumes a lot of energy, especially in cold weather. Therefore, it is important to systematically plug in your car when not in use, otherwise the car will appear empty. What is the burden on the electricity budget? You only have to be content with a speed of 110 km/h and a rather modest autonomy: 250 km in the city and 150 km outside the urban areas. On the other hand, unlike most first-generation Renault Zoes models, batteries are not available for rent.

A company that needs to reinvent itself in 2023

While the first Bluecars recovered by Autopuzz came from car-sharing services such as Bolloré’s Autolib in Paris or its equivalents in Lyon, Bordeaux and Rouen, the latter are mostly from company fleets. After them, the Breton company will no longer be able to buy them back except in dribs and drabs. So he’ll have to change his tune a bit. Quentin Mezerette, its director of sales, told us that he was in particular discussions “Import of Asian branded cars” , although he has not yet been able to tell us which ones. He just admits that they didn’t “I don’t want to go for high end cars, it’s not our policy” .

It’s more in line with labels like MG Motor or Seres than other more expensive Chinese or Vietnamese manufacturers like Byd, Vinfast, Wey or Nio. Knowing that sometimes many other names unknown to us may also be suitable. If all goes well, we should learn more about this project in early 2023. Another aspect the company wants to consolidate is its mobile after-sales service. “Today we have technicians who know by heart the electric car and especially everything that revolves around it, like Tesla does with its ‘guards’ who go to repair vehicles at customer sites. We do the same, and we understand that many other brands do not », Quentin Mezerette explains. Without complete abandonment, the historical activity of selling used vehicles risks fading into the background. The fault, in particular, is that it is difficult to find 100% electric fleets large and affordable enough to adequately support the succession of Bluecars. All the more reason to consider buying one of these latest models if you feel ready to accept the limitations imposed by their special battery.

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