Motorists considering a secondhand car with significant mileage may find electric vehicles (EVs) more reliable than petrol models, according to a recent study. An analysis of 47.4 million MOT tests revealed that EVs driven between 90,000 and 120,000 miles were approximately 25% less likely to fail than petrol cars of the same age, with failure rates of 16.5% for EVs versus 22.1% for petrol cars.
For vehicles exceeding 120,000 miles, 16% of EVs failed their MOTs, compared to 23.5% of petrol cars. The study, conducted by New AutoMotive for the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), found minimal difference in reliability between the two fuel types at lower mileages.
Toby Poston, BVRLA chief executive, stated that mileage is a key factor for used car buyers and that this data suggests high mileage alone should not deter consumers. Ben Nelmes, chief executive of New AutoMotive, noted that the mechanical simplicity of an electric drivetrain may become more valuable as cars accumulate miles.
However, the study also identified areas where EVs performed worse, particularly with tyres, recording nearly twice as many tyre defects as petrol cars. Older, low-mileage EVs also showed increased friction-brake defects, attributed to less frequent use and associated corrosion. Researchers highlighted that MOT tests do not assess battery health, degradation, or charging performance, which should be considered when buying a used EV.