A Study of 47 Million Inspections: Older EVs Perform Better
A study of 47.4 million inspections revealed fascinating insights into the reliability of electric vehicles (EVs) compared to their combustion engine counterparts in the UK. Conducted by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, the analysis compared EV and petrol/diesel car performance across various mileage ranges.
Key Findings:
- Above 120,000 miles: EVs failed Britain’s MOT test 32% less often than petrol and diesel cars.
- Low Mileage (below 40,000 miles): EVs failed slightly more often than combustion engines.
- Test Scope: The study does not evaluate the health of EV batteries.
Dataset Power:
The association analyzed a massive dataset comprising 47.4 million MOT tests from 2024 to 2026, supplemented by historical records spanning 863 million inspections.
Mileage and Failure Rates:
- Electric Cars (90,000 - 120,000 miles): Failed 16.5% of tests.
- Combustion Cars (90,000 - 120,000 miles): Failed 22.1% of tests.
- Electric Cars (15 years old): Returned for testing in 94.6% of cases; combustion cars: 88.1%.
Tyre Wear and Brakes:
While EVs are more prone to tire wear defects due to their weight, brake issues decrease significantly after 90,000 miles due to the regenerative braking system.
European Regulations:
The EU's Euro 7 regulations, effective November 29, mandate battery retention of at least 80% capacity after five years or 100,000 km, and 72% after eight years or 160,000 km. These standards focus on manufacturer responsibility during type approval, not annual owner testing.
Contradictory Proposals:
Previously, the European Commission proposed annually testing cars over ten years old, but transport ministers rejected this idea, maintaining the existing two-year interval. Independent fleet data suggests degradation averages about 2% per year.