A Huge Real-World Dataset Changes the Reliability Conversation
Questions about EV reliability have followed electric vehicles since they first went mainstream. Do they hold up as well as petrol and diesel cars once the odometer climbs past six figures? A new UK analysis of MOT test data offers one of the largest real-world answers to that question so far.
British consultancy New AutoMotive examined roughly 47.4 million annual MOT and registration tests on behalf of the British Vehicle Renting and Leasing Association (BVRLA). Rather than relying on manufacturer claims or small survey samples, the study drew on roadworthiness checks conducted under the UK's MOT system. The UK government's MOT testing guide provides the official framework for these tests.
That scale matters: when a dataset covers tens of millions of tests, patterns in electric vehicle reliability become much harder to dismiss as statistical noise.
How Did EVs Compare With Petrol and Diesel Cars?
The headline figures focus on higher-mileage vehicles, which is where reliability questions tend to matter most for buyers.
At 90,000–120,000 miles (145,000–193,000 km), EVs recorded an MOT failure rate of approximately 16.5%, compared with 22.1% for petrol and diesel vehicles.
Beyond 120,000 miles (193,000 km), the gap remained significant. EVs failed at a rate of around 16%, while ICE vehicles failed at approximately 23.5%.
In practical terms, this means that within these mileage bands, electric vehicles in the study were meaningfully less likely to fail their MOT than comparable petrol or diesel cars.
It doesn't mean EVs are immune to faults — a failure rate of 16% still represents a substantial share of vehicles — but the gap between EVs and ICE vehicles is notable at exactly the mileage point where many buyers start worrying about long-term durability.
Why Could EVs Be More Reliable at Higher Mileage?
There are several plausible mechanical explanations, though the study itself is an observational analysis rather than a controlled experiment.
Electric drivetrains have far fewer moving parts than a petrol or diesel engine. There's no timing belt, no exhaust system, no fuel injectors, and no conventional multi-speed transmission in most EVs — all components that can wear out or require maintenance over hundreds of thousands of miles.
Regenerative braking is another likely factor. Because EVs use the electric motor to slow the vehicle and recover energy, friction brakes are used less often, which can reduce brake pad and rotor wear over time.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center also explains how regenerative braking allows electric and hybrid vehicles to recover energy during deceleration.
None of this means EVs require no maintenance. It simply suggests that some traditional failure points built into an internal-combustion engine and its supporting systems don't exist in the same form on an EV.
EV Reliability Does Not Mean Every EV Is the Same
It's worth being clear about what this kind of aggregate data can and can't tell you. A statistic about "EVs" as a category doesn't guarantee that any individual model, manufacturer, or vehicle will perform the same way.
Reliability can vary significantly based on the specific model, the manufacturer's build quality, the battery management system, software maturity, suspension design, tire choice, charging hardware, and — just as importantly — how well an individual vehicle has been maintained and charged over its life.
The study itself illustrates this nuance. When comparing models that come in both electric and ICE versions, EVs matched or outperformed their petrol/diesel counterparts in most cases — with the Volkswagen Golf cited as the one exception.
That's a useful reminder that EV reliability is a trend in this dataset, not a guarantee for every nameplate.
What About High-Mileage Used EVs?
For anyone shopping the used EV market, this data offers a useful reframe: mileage alone shouldn't automatically be treated as a red flag the way it often is with a high-mileage petrol or diesel car.
That said, mileage still isn't the only thing worth checking. Battery condition and degradation history matter a great deal for an EV's remaining useful life. Service history, and where relevant, how the vehicle was typically charged, can also be relevant to long-term health.
Beyond that, buyers should still inspect the usual wear items — tires, suspension components, brakes, and the condition of the charging port — just as they would with any used car.
For current EV owners, having a dependable home EV charging setup can also make everyday charging more convenient and consistent, particularly for drivers planning to keep their vehicles for many years.
EV Maintenance Is Different, Not Nonexistent
It's a common misconception that EVs require little to no maintenance. A more accurate way to put it is that EV maintenance is different from ICE maintenance, not absent.
EVs still need attention to:
- Tires, which can experience additional wear due to vehicle weight and instant torque
- Brakes and suspension components
- Battery cooling systems
- The 12V auxiliary battery
- Charging ports and charging equipment
- Software and electronic systems
- High-voltage battery condition
Charging equipment is another part of the ownership experience that shouldn't be overlooked. A suitable EV charger and properly selected charging cable can help make regular home charging more convenient.
For drivers who need additional flexibility, EV charging cables and accessories can also be useful when adapting a charging setup to different parking spaces, charging locations, or vehicle requirements.
What This Means for the Future of Used EVs
As more EVs move through their first ownership cycle and into the used market, data like this could help build buyer confidence.
A healthy, affordable secondhand EV market depends partly on drivers believing that a higher-mileage electric car can still be a practical purchase — not automatically a major maintenance risk.
Findings from large-scale real-world datasets provide useful evidence for that conversation. However, buyers should still consider the individual vehicle's battery health, maintenance history, accident history, tire and suspension condition, charging system, and overall condition rather than relying on mileage alone.
The BVRLA has highlighted the importance of a healthy used-vehicle market as the vehicle fleet continues to evolve. As more electric cars enter the secondhand market, understanding their long-term performance will become increasingly important.
Final Thoughts
This study doesn't prove that every EV outlasts every petrol or diesel car, and it shouldn't be read that way.
What it does show is that, within this large UK dataset, electric vehicles at higher mileage bands had notably lower MOT failure rates than their ICE counterparts. That's useful evidence that challenges the assumption that high mileage automatically makes an EV a risky purchase.
For people considering a high-mileage EV, the takeaway is relatively simple: don't judge the vehicle by the odometer alone. Battery condition, maintenance history, charging habits, tires, suspension, brakes, and overall vehicle condition all deserve attention.
As EVs continue to make up a larger share of both new and used car sales, understanding how they actually hold up over time — rather than relying on assumptions — matters more than ever.
At ELEVOCHARGE, we're focused on the other half of that equation: making EV charging easier, more convenient, and more accessible with reliable charging solutions designed for everyday electric driving.