Electric cars are LESS reliable than petrol and diesel motors, drivers say

ELECTRIC CARS are less reliable than petrol and diesel motors, according to drivers.

And previous poor reliability with a vehicle has put nearly a third of in-market buyers off from purchasing from the same brand again, according to What Car?

They researched 1022 in-market buyers' perceptions of vehicle reliability and previous experiences with cars they've owned.

Of all the buyers surveyed, 30.3% said poor reliability on a car they’ve previously owned had put them off buying from the same brand again.

And the research also analysed whether buyers believe electric vehicles are generally more reliable than petrol or diesel models.

Though electric vehicles typically feature fewer moving components, just 12.8% of the 1022 respondents believed them to be more reliable, while 42.1% said they believe petrol and diesel cars to have a better reliability record

And the remaining 45.1% were undecided between the two.

A closer look at the figures shows that of the 137 in-market buyers set to buy an electric vehicle (EV) as their next car, 50.4% believe EVs to be more reliable than petrol and diesel models, with 40.2% unsure. 

Of the 510 buyers opting for a petrol or diesel car, 60.2% believe internal-engined vehicles are more reliable than EVs, with 34.3% unsure.

Steve Huntinford, editor, What Car? said: "This data highlights once again just how vital a reputation for reliability is for manufacturers - and why our annual Reliability Survey is so important in keeping Britain's car buyers up to date on the latest issues being faced by car makers.

"It also shows that the advantages of EVs are having far fewer moving parts and, therefore, fewer things to go potentially wrong, which remains an important message that the industry needs to get out there to grow consideration among would-be buyers.