Sep 25, 2026 · 28 min · 14 segments
A study of 47.4 million MOT tests has found high-mileage electric cars are around 25% less likely to fail than equivalent petrol cars — 16.5% against 22.1% between 90,000 and 120,000 miles, widening…
Okay.
So I'm just going to switch to...
Okay.
Are used electric cars reliable? At high mileage, more reliable than petrol.
they're about 25 less likely to fail right this is the study that i've been waiting for somebody to do the trade body for leasing and rental the bvrla commissioned researchers at new automotive they went through 47.4 million mot tests that's a big study against a background of 863 million historical records this is not a survey that is the whole country's cars tested used ev reliability all about the EVMOT failure rates, which is interesting.
And we're looking at high mileage electric cars as well, because that's interesting.
Here's why this study is better than the ones before it.
Britain's electric cars are young.
Britain's petrol cars are old.
So if you just compare the headline numbers, electric wins, and it means nothing.
These researchers separated age from mileage, same age, same miles, then compare.
And that's when something interesting happens.
Below about 40,000 miles, there's nothing in it.
27% of electric cars fail.
11.7% of petrol cars fail.
Statistically, that's the same car.
But at around 60,000 miles, the two lines split.
The electric failure flattens out at about 16%.
The petrol failure rate just keeps climbing.
Take cars 3 to 8 years old with a 90 to 120,000 miles on them.
16.5% of the electric ones fail.
22.1% of the petrol ones fail.
Okay.
So I'm just going to switch to...
Okay.
Are used electric cars reliable? At high mileage, more reliable than petrol.
they're about 25 less likely to fail right this is the study that i've been waiting for somebody to do the trade body for leasing and rental the bvrla commissioned researchers at new automotive they went through 47.4 million mot tests that's a big study against a background of 863 million historical records this is not a survey that is the whole country's cars tested used ev reliability all about the EVMOT failure rates, which is interesting.
And we're looking at high mileage electric cars as well, because that's interesting.
Here's why this study is better than the ones before it.
Britain's electric cars are young.
Britain's petrol cars are old.
So if you just compare the headline numbers, electric wins, and it means nothing.
These researchers separated age from mileage, same age, same miles, then compare.
And that's when something interesting happens.
Below about 40,000 miles, there's nothing in it.
27% of electric cars fail.
11.7% of petrol cars fail.
Statistically, that's the same car.
But at around 60,000 miles, the two lines split.
The electric failure flattens out at about 16%.
The petrol failure rate just keeps climbing.
Take cars 3 to 8 years old with a 90 to 120,000 miles on them.
16.5% of the electric ones fail.
22.1% of the petrol ones fail.
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