UK study shows electric vehicles outlast petrol cars at high mileages

MOT test data reveals EVs maintain superior durability at high mileages, though battery health remains untracked.

A UK analysis of MOT records from millions of vehicles found electric cars demonstrate stronger roadworthiness retention than petrol vehicles at higher mileages. At 40,000 miles, EVs have a 0.5 percentage point lower failure rate than petrol cars. By 120,000 miles, this gap widens to 7.5 percentage points (16% vs. 23.5% failure rates). EVs also show better suspension reliability and fewer brake failures across all mileage ranges due to regenerative braking systems. However, multi-powertrain EVs like the VW Golf experience higher tire wear than purpose-built models like the BMW i3, and brake failures increase after 10 years due to underuse and corrosion. The study does not assess battery health, as MOT tests exclude this metric. This durability advantage reduces replacement costs per mile driven and lowers environmental impact over time—key factors for long-term vehicle affordability and resource efficiency. What to watch: How tire wear and aging systems affect EV longevity in real-world conditions beyond MOT testing.

Source: Electrek