New electric vehicles cost thousands more than similar models that run on gasoline. But a growing number of shoppers are discovering that for used cars, often the opposite is true.

Used battery-powered vehicles often sell for less than comparable cars with internal combustion engines, making them a good deal even before calculating savings in maintenance costs and fuel. That is expanding the number of people who can afford to buy such models.

Sales of used electric vehicles rose 40% in July from a year earlier, according to Cox Automotive, a research firm.

K. Boyle, an 80-year-old widow who lives in San Francisco, recently bought a 2013 Nissan Leaf she found on Craigslist for just $1,000 after factoring in a rebate from her electric utility.

The model is not designed for long trips, bu

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