Extensive research conducted in England revealed that electric cars are much more durable than gasoline vehicles after 65 thousand km.
Questions about the long-term durability and reliability of electric cars are answered by comprehensive research. A massive study analyzing inspection data of millions of vehicles in the UK reveals that high-mileage electric vehicles stay on the road much longer and without problems compared to internal combustion gasoline models. Especially as the lifespan and mileage increases, the durability gap between electric vehicles and gasoline models widens significantly in favor of electric vehicles.
The Risk of Malfunction of Gasoline Vehicles Increases as the Mileage Increases
The research was prepared based on the official MOT inspection results that check the roadworthiness of vehicles in the UK; It focuses on basic mechanical elements such as suspension, brakes, tires and emissions. The data obtained shows that there is no significant difference in durability between gasoline and electric vehicles in the first periods of use. In fact, due to the fact that electric vehicle owners travel more in the first years, early failure rates are quite similar to each other.
However, once the total operating range of the vehicles exceeds approximately 65 thousand kilometers (40 thousand miles), the balance changes completely. Gasoline cars begin to decline rapidly in terms of reliability after this threshold. When vehicles reach approximately 190 thousand kilometers (120 thousand miles), the probability of a gasoline model being stuck on the road or failing inspection is 47 percent higher than an electric model. According to the data, the failure rate of gasoline vehicles with this mileage is 23.5 percent, while this rate remains at 16 percent for electric vehicles.
Direct Comparison: Electric Models Lead in Suspension and Brakes
Within the scope of the research, the same models, which have both gasoline and fully electric versions, are compared side by side. In all matches except Volkswagen Golf, electric versions present a much more durable picture than their internal combustion siblings. This situation does not change in light commercial vehicles; For example, the electric version of the Nissan NV200 model causes much fewer mechanical problems than the diesel engine option.
The important details that emerged according to the mechanical parts examined are listed as follows:
Suspension Durability: Despite the extra weight of electric vehicles due to the battery, they appear to have fewer suspension problems than gasoline models at every kilometer range.
Brake Part: Thanks to regenerative braking technology, electric vehicles wear out pads and discs much less. However, in electric vehicles that are over 10 years old, problems caused by rust and corrosion may arise due to the inadequate use of friction brakes.
Tire Wear: The only disadvantage of electric vehicles is tire consumption. Especially mixed-platform vehicles, which were later converted to electricity, wear out their tires faster than standard models due to their high body weight.
Electric Vehicles are Changing the Game in Second Hand
Contrary to popular belief, the concern that electric vehicles will break down as they age is refuted by concrete usage data from the field. Devoid of complex engine components, transmission gears and hundreds of moving parts, electric powertrains clearly prove the advantage of mechanical durability over high mileage. Although the tests in the UK do not directly measure battery health, independent research confirms that electric vehicle batteries can maintain an average of 90 percent capacity even over 150 thousand kilometers of use.
Data from millions of vehicles clearly documents that electric models are a much more economical and reliable alternative in the long term in the high-mileage second-hand vehicle market.
