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PARIS: Recent research from the US reports that, in the current market, new all-electric or hybrid cars might not be as reliable as internal-combustion-powered vehicles.
A study published by the American consumer association, Consumer Reports, reveals that, when it comes to reliability, electric cars have on average 79% more problems than gas-powered vehicles. It’s even worse for plug-in hybrids, which have 146% — ie, almost 2.5 times — more problems than conventional gas-powered cars.
This can be explained by their greater complexity and the presence of more, mainly electronic components. The most frequently cited faults concern batteries, electric motors and infotainment systems.
Nevertheless, these are still relatively recent technologies, which manufacturers are constantly perfecting.
Moreover, weather conditions can also affect the reliability of electric cars. Batteries are often fragile and can be directly affected by very high (or, conversely, very low) temperatures.
However, some brands are more reliable than others, such as Tesla, for example, with its Model 3 and Y. Electric vehicles from Kia and Hyundai also scored well, reflecting the achievements of brands that invest heavily in research and development.
This research was carried out online in the USA among over 330,000 motorists (with vehicles from model years 2000 to 2023, with a few early-introduced 2024 model years), a third of whom were electric car owners.
The survey questionnaires covered the various problems encountered over the past 12 months. It should be noted, however, that no Chinese manufacturers are included in this study, their sales being more or less negligible in the USA.
