High-mileage electric cars are more reliable than petrol ones, study finds
2 hours ago
- A study of 47.4m MOT tests found EVs are about 25% less likely to fail than petrol cars after 90,000–120,000 miles (failure rates: 16.5% vs 22.1%).
- Beyond 120,000 miles, 16% of EVs failed compared to 23.5% of petrol cars; little difference was found at lower mileages.
- The BVRLA says high mileage should not deter buyers; well-maintained high-mileage EVs can be durable, boosting the secondhand market.
- EVs performed worse on tyres (nearly twice as many defects) and older low-mileage EVs had more friction-brake defects due to corrosion.
- MOT tests don't cover battery health or charging performance, so buyers should also check those when assessing a used EV.