Many people are faced with the decision of whether to buy an electric car or a combustion engine. A new study shows which vehicle is more reliable.
Munich – There are many reasons for which vehicle consumers choose. This also includes the price. While the costs of combustion engines will continue to rise in the near future, electric cars could soon even be ahead in price comparison. But many people wonder whether electric cars are less prone to repairs and therefore significantly more reliable than conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles.
The market monitoring company UScale
used the new EV after-sales study to examine how reliably the operating modes compare. For this purpose, around 2,100 drivers of electric cars and around 400 drivers of combustion cars in the roof region were surveyed.
Study compares the reliability of vehicles: These brands have to go to the workshop less often
At first glance, electric cars seem to be more reliable in everyday life. Only 11 percent of electric car drivers had to contact the breakdown service with an average vehicle age of three years. In comparison, 19 percent of drivers of conventional combustion engines had to use roadside assistance.
However, electric cars require more frequent visits to the workshop due to technical problems or recalls. 24 percent of electric car drivers had to struggle with technical problems, and 19 percent were even affected by manufacturer recalls. Skoda, Audi and Opel electric cars most often had to go to the workshop. A trade magazine compared German and Chinese electric cars and came to a surprising result.
The most reliable electric vehicles, however, come from Mercedes, BMW and Nissan. However, the repair time for electric cars turned out to be problematic. 19 percent of those surveyed said they had to wait significantly longer than expected for their car, compared to just six percent for gasoline and diesel cars. Volkswagen boss Oliver Blume still considers electric cars to be technically superior.
Comparison of drive types: How environmentally friendly are electric vehicles actually?
Electric cars are generally considered climate-friendly. However, the carbon footprint of electric cars is influenced by various criteria. According to an article by
NDR
, it depends on how big a vehicle is and what electricity it is powered with. An electricity mix that consists half of fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas is less environmentally friendly than green electricity from renewable energy sources.
Although electric cars do not emit exhaust gases, they are not free of particulate matter due to abrasion from brakes and tires. When disposing of electric cars, the battery components can still contain environmentally harmful substances, as only 50 percent of the components such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper are reusable. However, the EU plans to increase the recycling rate for batteries to 80 to 95 percent from 2031 to avoid an impending environmental disaster.
(cg)