It is generally believed that electric vehicles are less prone to problems than internal combustion engine vehicles. But the data shows otherwise, with electric vehicles significantly less reliable than conventionally powered vehicles, according to data collected by Consumer Reports.
Consumer Reports is a well-known American consumer rights organization that conducts reliability assessments of various automobiles every year. It is noticed that the organization recently released a reliability comparison report on electric vehicles (EV), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) and conventional fuel vehicles (ICE). The main findings of the report are as follows:
Electric vehicles are less reliable than conventional vehicles: The report shows that electric vehicles have 79% more reliability problems than conventional vehicles, while plug-in hybrids have 146% more reliability problems. This means electric cars and plug-in hybrids are more likely to break down and require repairs or replacement parts. The report believes that this is mainly because electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles are relatively new and manufacturers are still solving technical problems.
Non-plug-in hybrids are more reliable than conventional cars: Reports show that non-plug-in hybrids have 26% fewer reliability issues than conventional cars. This is mainly because the technology of hybrid vehicles is relatively mature and is mainly provided by some manufacturers with high reliability.
The reliability of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles of different brands varies greatly: The report shows that the reliability performance of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles of different brands varies. Tesla’s electric vehicles rank in the middle for reliability, with their electric powertrains relatively stable but fragile bodies, paint and air-conditioning systems. Ford’s electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids rank lower for reliability, and its flagship products like the F-150, Bronco and Lightning have had reliability issues. Toyota’s plug-in hybrids rank high for reliability, with its RAV4 Prime being one of the most reliable models in the entire survey. Overall, Asian manufacturers dominate the reliability rankings.
