Logic would suggest that electric cars should be less likely to breakdown because they have fewer mechanical moving parts than a traditional petrol or diesel model.
But does this theory really work in practice?
According to What Car?’s latest reliability survey, no. It says electric cars are bettered by small models, which have a higher average score for dependability in its latest poll.
In total, the car publication received feedback from owners to prove reliability ratings for 34 electric models.
While it reports on electric SUVs and non-SUV EVs separately, it has exclusively given This is Money the data to report on battery-powered models as a whole.
The larger SUV variants scored on average 89.3 per cent, while the remaining versions were less impressive at an average of 87.7 per cent.
Here’s the countdown of the 10 you can rely on – and three that suggest faults could occur and trigger breakdowns as well as high repair bills.
MOST RELIABLE ELECTRIC CARS
10. BMW i3 (2013-2022)
Reliability score: 94.5%
The i3 is one of the oldest electric cars reported on in the survey, with the compact hatchback on sale from 2013. Fewer than a tenth of owners of cars up to 5 years old reported faults
The BMW i3 is one of the oldest EVs in the reliability survey. It was the model that kickstarted the Bavarian brand’s electric activity back in 2013 but has since been discontinued. Despite its age, the i3 is up there with the best electric newcomers when it comes to dependability.
Fewer than a tenth of owners reported a fault with their car in the previous 24 months. Those who did said the most common problems were related to the air-con, non-motor electrics and suspension.
Three quarters of cars were fixed in less than a week, but some owners had to stump up large repair bills. Due to the i3’s age, a quarter of owners gave feedback about were no longer covered by BMW’s warranty, leaving some to pay between £200 and £1,500 to get their cars put right.
9. Volkswagen e-Up (2013-2023)
Reliability score: 94.6%
While just 13% of owners of VW e-Ups dating back to 2019 suffered a fault in the previous 24 months, two thirds of these were off the road for more than a week being repaired
The e-Up represents the infancy of Volkswagen’s transition to battery vehicles. The city car – which was culled by the German giant in 2023 – was repurposed into an EV with a 36.8kWh battery and urban-focussed maximum range of 159 miles.
Weighing on its reliability rating is the duration e-Ups were off the road being fixed in the last two years. Of the 13 per cent of owners who said their cars had encountered problems, two thirds were left looking for alternative transport options with their vehicles off the road for more than a week.
Despite the e-Ups age, all faulty cars were repaired under warranty with the most common issues affecting the air-con system and 12-volt battery (not the battery powering the wheels).
8. Kia EV6 (2021-present)
Reliability score: 94.9%
Like the VW e-Up, 13% of owners of Kia EV6s said they had encountered issues in the last 2 years. However, almost two thirds of these faulty cars were deemed undrivable and off the road for more than a week
Kia’s EV6 has proved immensely popular since it emerged on the market in 2021 boasting a unique design, enough practicality to cope with the rigors of family life and a decent full-charge range of up to 361 miles. But while just 13 per cent of owners reported faults, some appear to be quite major.
Six per cent of cars had issues with the 12-volt battery. But the same percentage also reported electrical issues with the battery drivetrain. While 18 per cent of faulty EV6s were back on the road within a day, a whopping 64 per cent deemed undrivable and off the road for more than a week.
Fortunately, all were repaired at no cost to owners under warranty.
=6. Renault Megane E-Tech (2022-present)
Reliability score: 95.5%
Just 14% of Renault Megane E-Tech owners said they had encountered problems with their EVs in the previous 24 months – and all were repaired under warranty for free
Renault now has an all-electric Megane, though instead of being a conventional family hatchback is a jacked-up crossover.
Only 14 per cent of those who have been driving one since 2022 said they had at least one problem with their cars over the last 24 months. These were limited to general electrical gremlins (not involving the drivetrain), interior trim, sat-nav and infotainment system, and the suspension.
No faulty cars were undriveable and they were all fixed within a week – a quarter of these repaired in a day. All were covered by Renault’s warranty so didn’t incur any costs for owners.
=6. BMW i4 (2021-present)
Reliability score: 95.5%
Over a quarter of BMW i4 drivers reported at least one issue with their cars during the last 2 years of ownership. More than half of these were fixed within a day, though
Those in the market for a classy executive saloon with battery power should look no further than the BMW i4, which is proving relatively dependable, based on owner feedback.
Just over a quarter of drivers said their i4 had developed problems in the last 24 months, though this was offset by the fact that all were fixed under warranty at no cost to owners.
More than half (56 per cent) of faulty models were fixed within a day, likely because the most common issues were pretty minor, including interior trim and air-con woes. However, there were also a few electric drivetrain and charging faults reported.
5. Nissan Leaf (2019-present)
Reliability score: 95.6%
Just one in ten Leafs suffered reliability gremlins in the previous 24 months. These were either brakes, interior trim or non-motor electric problems, owners said
Now in its second generation, the Sunderland assembled Leaf is one of the most common electric cars seen on our roads. And this is partly because they’re proving very dependable.
Only one in ten Leafs What Car? received feedback about had suffered reliability gremlins in the previous 24 months. These were either brakes, interior trim or non-motor electric problems.
No Leafs broke down because of these issues and three in five were repaired and back on the road within a day. Not all were covered under warranty though, meaning two in five drivers had to fork out garage bills of between £301 and £1,000 to have their EVs fixed.
4. Volvo XC40 Recharge (2021-present)
Reliability score: 95.8%
A fifth of Volvo XC40 Recharge owners have reported encountering reliability issues with their electric SUVs in the previous 24-month spell
Volvo’s classy XC40 Recharge has been on sale in the UK since 2021, and in that time just a fifth of owners have reported encountering reliability issues in a 24-month spell.
All faults reported were minor; there were a small volume of non-drivetrain electrical gremlins and a higher proportion of drivers saying the sat-nav or infotainment screen had gone wrong.
One in five of these faulty cars were fixed in a day and a further three in five inside a week. All were repaired by Volvo under warranty, so didn’t cost the owners a penny.
3. BMW iX3 (2021-present)
Reliability score: 96.7%
There were a few BMW iX3s suffering undrivable problems. While half of cars with faults – those with the more minor issues – were off the road for just a day, a third took over a week to fix
The iX3 was BMW’s first attempt at an electric SUV and has been in UK showrooms – having arrived from the German manufacturer’s Chinese factory – since 2021.
Only 12 per cent of owners told What Car? that they’d had to resolve a fault with their Beemer in the previous 24 months, of which most were related to the air-con or non-drivetrain electrics. However, a few did say they had to deal with issues with the EV drivetrain.
While half – those with the more minor faults – were off the road only for a day, but a third were undrivable and in the workshop for over a week. Fortunately, not one owner had to stump up for repairs as BMW covered it all under warranty.
2. Mini Electric (2020-2024)
Reliability score: 98.4%
The Mini Electric – which has been replaced with the fourth-generation BMW-built hatchback – is proving to be among the most reliable of all EVs, owners told What Car?
The recently replaced Mini Electric may not have the longest range (up to a claimed 144 miles) but is proving to be one of the most reliable electric cars we’ve seen in recent years.
Just 5 per cent of owners encountered faults in the last 24 months, which were all related either to the 12-volt batteries or motor electrics.
While it took up to a week to rectify these faults, all cars remained driveable and all were fixed at no cost under BMW warranty.
1. Tesla Model Y (2021-present)
Reliability score: 99.2%
The Tesla Model Y has been ranked the most reliable electric car. It is proving a lot more dependable than the smaller Model 3, owners told What Car?
Elon, get your party hat at the ready and the poppers primed – a Tesla is at the top of the reliability standings. Only 4 per cent of drivers said they have been forced to deal with a fault in the last 24 months, which is surprising given that more than a quarter of Model 3 drivers have encountered problems over the same period.
Non-drivetrain electrics and sat-navs were the only problem areas – and in very small volumes.
Half of faulty Model Ys were back on the road on the same day they went in for repair but a quarter remained in Tesla workshop for over a week. Every Model Y was fixed under warranty, too.
LEAST RELIABLE ELECTRIC CARS
3. MG ZS EV (2019-present)
Reliability score: 69.3%
More than two in five owners of MG ZS EVs said they had encountered reliability problems in the previous 24 months – and there was a broad spread of issues, some of which were expensive to repair and made the cars undrivable
A new MG ZS EV was released in 2024 – and hopefully it will prove more dependable than the model it replaces.
Owners of existing version – launched in 2019 – reported a high volume of faults, with 43 per cent of keepers saying theirs needed fixing in the last two years. Some of these were serious as they impacted the e-motor, battery, drivetrain and charging. However, there was a spread of complaints about faults with air-con, the 12-volt battery, bodywork, brakes, gearbox, interior trim, non-engine electrics, sat-nav and steering, making the ZS a bit of a lottery for owners.
Only 3 per cent of these faulty cars were fixed within a day. Most (46 per cent) were rendered undrivable and off the road being repaired for more than a week. Four in five were resolved under warranty, though one in ten drivers said they had to fork out over £1,000 in workshop bills.
2. Vauxhall Mokka-E (2020-present)
Reliability score: 65.6%
Vauxhall Mokka-e owners reported some major issues with their cars, a number of breakdowns and some incurring repair bills over £1,500
Another electric SUV with a high fault count is the last two years is the Vauxhall Mokka-e – which has since been rebranded the Mokka Electric as part of a facelift.
More than half of owners said they had faced issues with their cars in the previous 24 months, with the most common gremlins linked to the 12-volt battery. That said, a fifth of the drivers reported problems that prevented charging, while 5 per cent had drivetrain electrics and gearbox issues.
Some 38 per cent of faulty examples were still drivable and then fixed within a day, though the same proportion said they had suffered a breakdown and a week without their electric Vauxhalls while they were away being repaired. Worst still, the one in ten cars that were no longer under warranty cost over £1,500 to put right.
1. MG4 EV (2022-present)
Reliability score: 63.8%
MG4 EVs reported a litany of faults with their electric hatchbacks. And despite the Chinese cars being covered by their warranties, 55% of drivers with problematic cars had to pay for repairs
With issues in almost every fault category, 30 per cent of MG4 EVs were reported as going wrong in the last 24 months, What Car? says. This will be a big concern for many Britons, especially as the MG hatchback was 2023’s second most-popular new EV.
Despite all being covered by MG’s warranty, the Chinese brand only covered 55 per cent of repair cases, leaving a fifth of owners with bills of £1,000 or more. Repairs weren’t always swift, either; almost seven in ten fault cars spent over a week in workshops.
Hundreds of MG4 owners have already told us and Which? that their EVs have flawed safety tech that’s putting them at risk.
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.
