Electric cars have a similar ‘mix of failures' to petrol and diesel as claims spike 370 per cent
The number of warranty claims has jumped massively in two years
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New data has found a massive 370 per cent increase in the number of electric vehicle warranty claims between 2021 and 2023.
Experts estimate that this is reflective of an aging electric vehicle fleet, with more problems starting to emerge.
With the cars being on the roads for longer periods of time, general wear and tear will begin to take effect in terms of damage to vehicles.
Alongside this, the average cost of an electric car warranty has grown significantly, with drivers bearing the brunt of the cost of motoring.
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In 2021, the average claim for an MG EV was £430, but has now seen an incredible 290 per cent uplift to £2,200.
Similar trends can be seen across different manufacturers, with the cost of claims for Tesla vehicles growing by 231 per cent since 2021.
Another reason for the growth in warranty claims is the dramatic increase in the number of electric vehicles that are on the road.
Zapmap estimates that there are around 850,000 fully electric cars on UK roads as of August 2023, although there have been more than one million registrations of EVs.
Duncan McClure Fisher, CEO of MotorEasy’s parent company Intelligent Motoring, said there were some similarities between electric cars and traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.
He added: “While there remains a perception that EVs have fewer moving parts and less can go wrong with them, in reality we're seeing an equivalent mix of failures to petrol and diesel vehicles.
“Despite the drivetrain components being obviously very different, the suspension and braking components are often very similar, and are put under greater strain due to the increased weight of EVs.
“This creates a similar breadth of failures for EVs versus ICE vehicles, though a slight swing from drivetrain issues to suspension and braking issues can be observed.”
Intelligent Motoring states that the data demonstrates how the cost implications of owning an EV requires as much financial planning as petrol or diesel vehicles.
Many drivers may assume that electric vehicles have fewer servicing, maintenance and repair requirements than other vehicles.
The Prime Minister said this was being done to allow for electric car prices to drop further and boost the spread of charging infrastructure.
The speech also focused on how the UK was attracting investment worth billions of pounds from companies like Tata through the Jaguar Land Rover gigafactory.
He added: “Small businesses are worried about the practicalities. And we’ve got further to go to get that charging infrastructure truly nationwide.
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There are around 850,000 fully electric cars on UK roads as of August 2023
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“And we need to strengthen our own auto industry, so we aren’t reliant on heavily subsidised, carbon intensive imports, from countries like China.”
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