Electric motors are becoming more and more popular every year. In principle, there is no surprise - the network of fast chargers is growing, people are more eco-conscious, but also the 'green drives' themselves are simply getting better. However, there is one issue that puts the future of this solution in question - the failure rate of electric cars. How often do cars of this type end up in the workshop? What faults can be expected in electrics and hybrids? Let's find out!
Electric car breakdowns - what breaks down most often in electrics?
One of the many advantages of electric cars is their cost-effectiveness. The average electric car has more than six times fewer parts than an internal combustion car, making them much cheaper to service. The 12-volt battery that powers the lights, locking system and many other on-board systems is mainly responsible for the failure rate of electric cars.
According to a compilation of statistics from ADAC (the second largest automobile club in the world), of all the faults reported by drivers of hybrid and electric cars, more than half were responsible. This is due, among other things, to neglected prior servicing or excessive battery use. The second most common and necessary faults are problems with lighting and components responsible for electrics (e.g. high-voltage cables).
Electric car tests - long distances
I think everyone will admit that the biggest drawback of electric cars is their maximum driving range on a single charge. The best hybrid cars, based on plug-in technology, are able to drive tens of miles using only the electric motor. In the 1,000-mile test, the Tesla Model S Long Range Plus performed best - the car covered the distance in 16 hours and 14 minutes. During this time, the car only had to stop out of necessity for a longer charge 4 times!
As you can see, electric cars are becoming more and more suitable for long journeys, but they still cannot match internal combustion engines. In response to this problem, vehicles combining both types of propulsion are coming out. So the question can be asked: which hybrid is best? It is difficult to pinpoint one particular model - the online consensus is that there is a suitable type of hybrid for everyone.
Failure of electric cars - problems years later
The advantages and disadvantages of electric cars in the long run are not easy to point out, and may not be authoritative data anyway. Initially, a number of eco-cars from Tesla, Toyota or Nissan were able to impress with their capabilities. We are talking about enhanced safety features, dedicated route-tracking software, or autopilot built into the car's on-board computer. However, over the years, even the best of electric cars will start to feel the effects of time and weather conditions.
The first EVs were able to perform much worse in winter, which was noticeable, for example, in the performance of brake energy regeneration. Today, this type of situation occurs much less frequently, mainly due to the effectiveness of improvements introduced in ever newer models. Nevertheless, particular attention should be paid to the periodic servicing of the car.
At the moment, very few mechanics in Poland can actually say that they know electrics inside out. All fluid changes and technical inspections are recommended to be carried out at authorised service centres, which are also not yet plentiful. This is the main reason why most motoring websites advise against buying a used electric car - you can never be 100% sure whether the previous owner took proper care of their vehicle.
