LEGO Powered Up Motor Values on the Secondary Market

LEGO Powered Up motors, hubs, and battery boxes hold real resale value because they are the only way to add movement, lights, and remote control to a build, and LEGO only sells them bundled inside specific sets. From what I've seen sorting through bulk lots, a loose hub or motor in working condition often sells faster than a handful of common minifigures, simply because builders need that exact part and can't get it any other way without buying a whole new set.

In my experience, the secondary market for these electronic parts is smaller and less talked about than the minifigure market, but it's steady. Technic fans, train builders, and MOC (my own creation) builders all compete for the same pool of used hubs, motors, and remotes, and that competition keeps prices more stable than people expect.

• Electronic LEGO parts (Powered Up, Power Functions, and CONTROL+) hold value because they're functional, not just collectible.
• Condition and whether the part still powers on and runs smoothly matters more here than for most LEGO categories.
• BrickLink is generally the best place to sell individual motors and hubs; eBay and bulk lots are better for moving several at once.
• Always verify current sold prices before you list. Electronic part values shift as LEGO discontinues and replaces systems.

What Are LEGO Powered Up and Power Functions Motors?

Powered Up, Power Functions, and CONTROL+ are LEGO's three main electronic systems, and they are not interchangeable, which is exactly why resellers need to know the difference. Power Functions (the 9V-style system with the familiar round plugs) launched in 2007 and powered most LEGO Technic and train sets for about a decade. Powered Up replaced it starting in 2018 with the first City Hub, and it uses a completely different plug shape and app-based Bluetooth control.

In my experience, mixing these systems up is the single biggest mistake I see new sellers make. A buyer who needs a Powered Up L motor has no use for a Power Functions L motor, even though they look similar in size and color. If you're sorting bulk lots, separate hubs, motors, battery boxes, and remotes by system first, then by part number. It saves you from relisting something twice after a buyer returns it.

Why Do Electronic LEGO Parts Hold Resale Value?

Electronic LEGO parts hold value because they're functional components that only come inside specific sets, not standalone retail products you can buy new at a LEGO Store. Once a set is retired, the only way to get another hub or motor is secondhand, which keeps demand steady even years later. That scarcity is different from most LEGO parts, which LEGO reprints across dozens of sets.

I've seen this play out with Technic builders especially. A MOC (my own creation) builder designing a custom crane or car almost always needs a specific motor, hub, or battery box, and they'll pay close to what a new set costs just for that one part if they can't find it any other way. From what I've noticed, demand spikes whenever LEGO announces a new Technic or train flagship set, since builders start stockpiling the matching electronics months ahead of release.

How Much Are Powered Up Hubs and Motors Worth on the Secondary Market?

Pricing for Powered Up parts depends heavily on condition, whether the part is tested and working, and which specific hub or motor it is. Loose, tested City Hubs and Technic Hubs generally sell for a meaningful fraction of a new set's price, while train motors and the larger L motors tend to hold value better than smaller components. I'd rather give you a framework than a made-up number, because prices move.

I personally always check current sold listings on BrickLink before pricing any electronic part, because asking prices and sold prices for these components can be far apart. A part that's been sitting listed for six months at one price doesn't tell you what it's actually worth today. If you want a faster gut check, running a batch of parts through our LEGO collection value calculator gives you a reasonable starting point before you dig into individual sold listings.

What About Older Power Functions and 9V Motors?

Older Power Functions parts, including the original 9V motors, still sell steadily because thousands of Technic and train sets from 2007 through 2017 depend on them and many of those sets are now out of production. Condition matters even more here, since these parts are older and failure rates climb with age and heavy use.

A seller I know who focuses almost entirely on vintage Technic told me the biggest risk with Power Functions parts isn't finding buyers, it's confirming the part actually works before you ship it. Burnt-out motors and corroded battery box contacts are common enough that testing every single unit is worth the extra five minutes.

Which Electronic Components Are Most in Demand?

Hubs, train motors, and remote controls are consistently the most requested electronic parts, followed by battery boxes and smaller linear or XL motors. Demand tracks directly with how often a part shows up as the "bottleneck" piece in a popular MOC design, since builders searching for that exact part have few substitutes.

Component	Typical Demand	Reseller Notes
Powered Up / Technic Hub	High	Needed for nearly every app-controlled build; test Bluetooth pairing before listing.
Train Motor (L motor)	High	Core demand from train MOC builders; check for smooth, quiet rotation.
Remote Control	Medium to High	Often lost or separated from sets; sold as a standalone unit.
Battery Box (AA or rechargeable)	Medium	Check contacts for corrosion; rechargeable versions sell faster.
Linear Motor / Small Motor	Medium	Common in function-heavy sets; usually bundled rather than sold solo.
Light Kit / LED strings	Lower	Niche demand, mostly from display and lighting hobbyists.

Where Should You Sell Electronic LEGO Parts?

BrickLink is the best fit for selling individual motors, hubs, and remotes because buyers there are searching for exact parts by catalog number, not browsing for inspiration. eBay works better when you have several electronic parts or a bundled lot, since it reaches a much wider general audience willing to pay for convenience. Whatnot tends to perform best for complete, display-ready Technic sets rather than loose parts, since live buyers respond to seeing something built and running.

I recommend sorting your inventory before deciding where to list. When I sell loose parts I almost always start on BrickLink and only move to eBay or a Facebook Marketplace bulk lot if something sits unsold for a while. Mercari can work too, especially for buyers who are comparison shopping across platforms for a specific motor.

How Do You Test and Grade Electronic Parts Before Selling?

Testing before you list is non-negotiable with electronic parts, since a buyer expects a "working" listing to actually work, and returns on electronics cost you shipping both ways. At minimum, every hub needs a successful app pairing test, every motor needs to run smoothly in both directions, and every battery box needs clean, corrosion-free contacts.

• Pair every hub with the LEGO app or a compatible controller before listing it as tested.
• Run every motor in both directions and listen for grinding or stuttering.
• Check battery box contacts for corrosion and test with fresh batteries.
• Note any cracked housings, missing port covers, or sticker residue in your listing photos.
• Grade honestly. "Untested" listings should always be priced below confirmed working ones.

Is Tracking Electronic Parts Worth the Effort for Resellers?

Tracking electronic parts as their own inventory category is worth it if you handle more than a handful of bulk Technic or train lots a year, since these parts are easy to misplace and easy to underprice if you're not paying attention. I started keeping a separate electronics section in my own inventory after I underpriced a working Technic Hub by lumping it in with a pile of common bricks.

From what I've found, the sellers who do this well treat every hub, motor, and remote as an individually tracked item from the moment it's pulled out of a set. If you're buying bulk Technic lots to part out, running the numbers through our haul calculator before you buy helps you figure out whether the electronics alone justify the price of the lot. And if you're weighing a buy-and-hold play on sealed Technic flagships versus parting out used ones for the electronics, our LEGO investment calculator is built for exactly that kind of comparison.

If you want to go deeper on reseller workflows beyond just electronics, we cover sourcing, grading, and pricing strategy across the rest of our blog, and starting a 14-day free trial at brick'em is the fastest way to start tracking your own electronic parts inventory the way I do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are LEGO Powered Up motors worth keeping instead of selling?

It depends on whether you build with them. If you're an active MOC builder, keeping a small stock of tested hubs and motors saves you from buying a whole new set just for one part. If you're purely reselling, I'd rather turn tested electronics into cash since demand for them stays fairly consistent year round.

Can I mix Power Functions and Powered Up parts in the same build?

Not directly. The two systems use different connectors and different voltage and control logic, so motors and hubs from one system won't plug into the other. Some builders use adapter cables, but as a reseller you should always list and price these as separate, non-interchangeable systems to avoid buyer complaints.

Where do most buyers search for used LEGO motors?

Most dedicated buyers search BrickLink first because it lets them filter by exact part number and condition. Casual buyers and bulk-lot shoppers are more likely to find electronic parts on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, often bundled with other Technic or train pieces rather than listed individually.

Do untested motors sell at all?

Yes, but usually at a noticeable discount compared to confirmed working units, since buyers are pricing in the risk that the part is dead. I always disclose "untested" clearly in the title and description rather than letting a buyer assume it works, since that honesty tends to reduce returns and negative feedback.

How do I check current prices before listing my own parts?

Search sold and completed listings on BrickLink and eBay for the exact part number, not just the general name, since similar-looking motors from different systems price very differently. Checking a market data source like BrickEconomy alongside recent sold listings gives you a more complete picture than relying on asking prices alone.