Importing an electric car from the USA: customs and costs

What changes at customs

A gasoline, diesel or hybrid car goes through four payments at customs: import duty, excise tax, VAT (18%) and the customs fee. For an electric car, the customs calculator on this site sets import duty, excise and VAT to zero. An electric car has no engine displacement, so the calculator does not ask for it either.

The customs fee still applies. It is a fixed amount based on the customs value (auction price, auction fee and shipping), from 15 ₼ to 500 ₼:

A hybrid does not count as an electric car. For a hybrid, the calculator charges full import duty and VAT and 50% of the excise. Ask customs which rules apply to a plug-in hybrid.

Exemptions are set by law and can change. Before buying an electric car, confirm the current rules with the customs authority. The official amount is set by customs at declaration.

Compared with a gasoline car

The examples below are for gasoline cars. Look at the “Customs payments” row: for an electric car with the same auction price, the calculator keeps only the customs fee in this row.

So for an electric car, most of the total is the car itself, the auction fee and shipping. The customs method is explained in how car customs duty is calculated.

Costs that remain besides customs

• Auction fee: changes in steps depending on the car price.
• Shipping: depends on the lot's state and the auction, currently between 2 350 $ and 3 150 $ (prices by state).
• Registration fee: your CarBuy Logistics account opens after you pay 800 $.
• Repairs: for a damaged lot, the repair cost is known only after inspection.
• Full insurance: basic insurance is included in shipping, full insurance is extra.
• State registration of the car in Azerbaijan.

Battery

The battery is the most expensive part of an electric car. Its condition is often not shown in the lot description, and a “Run and Drive” label does not confirm the battery is healthy.

• Check where the damage is. The battery usually sits under the floor, so damage to the underside (Undercarriage) and the sides needs extra attention.
• A flooded (Water/Flood) or burned (Burn) electric car is the riskiest choice: the battery's condition cannot be judged from photos.
• Look at age and mileage: a battery loses capacity over the years.
• Do not count on a US factory warranty working in Azerbaijan, especially on a car with a salvage title.

Charging standard

Electric cars built for the US market have a US-standard charging port (for example J1772 and CCS1, or NACS on Tesla). Before buying, find out which standard the stations you will use in Baku have and whether you need an adapter.

• The home charging cable is made for US sockets, and a damaged lot may not have one at all.
• Navigation, software and online services are set up for the US market, and some may not work in Azerbaijan.
• Find out in advance where the model can be serviced and repaired in Baku.

Range

The range advertised in the US is in miles (1 mile is about 1.6 km) and is given for a new battery. A worn battery, cold weather and air conditioning reduce the real range. Compare your daily driving with a margin, not with the advertised figure.

Title

The title type matters for an electric car too: Clean, Salvage or Parts only. Title types are explained in what is a salvage title, and damage labels in damage types at US auctions.

Before you buy

1. 01

   Confirm the rules.

   Ask customs about the current terms of the electric car exemption.

2. 02

   Check the lot.

   Look at the title, where the damage is and every photo, especially of the underside.

3. 03

   Plan charging and service.

   Sort out the port standard, an adapter and service in advance.

4. 04

   Calculate the cost.

   In the calculator, choose “Electric” as the fuel type and enter the price, year and state.

5. 05

   Set a limit.

   Decide your maximum bid in advance: backing out of a won lot leads to a penalty from the auction.

You can handle customs clearance yourself or leave it to us as an additional service.