4 Electric Cars That Are More Unreliable Than Traditional Gas Vehicles
Written by
Catherine Collins
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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Over the past few years, electric cars have surged in popularity. Many major car manufacturers are now making their own electric vehicles, and there are also well-known brands (like Tesla) and newer ones (like Rivian) in the marketplace.
Unfortunately, the most recent Consumer Reports car reliability survey shows that many electric vehicles are more unreliable than traditional gas ones. In fact, the data shows electric cars built within the last three years have had 79% more issues than regular gas-powered cars.
The Consumer Reports survey results come from data on 330,000 vehicles. On the survey, car owners responded to questions about their vehicle’s engine, transmission, electric motors, leaks and other issues they experienced.
The survey results showed many electric vehicles (but not all) experienced charging problems as well as issues with their motors and batteries.
That said, not every electric vehicle had issues. Some of the most reliable ones were noted to be the Kia EV6 and Niro Electric 2023, the BMW iX and i4 2023, the Tesla Model 3 and the Lexus RZ 2023, among others. Consumer Reports tested each vehicle and considered their road-test performance in addition to their safety features, owner satisfaction, and reliability.
One the other end of the performance spectrum, the electric vehicles that didn’t fare as well include Rivian’s two models, the R1S and the R1T. When it comes to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) many have proven to be more unreliable than their gas-powered counterparts like the Audi Q5 and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid.
Additionally, Mercedes-Benz scored low on the reliability scale overall, and that includes their electric sedan, the EQS. Lastly, electric pickup trucks scored very poorly in the reliability survey.
In sum, the four electric vehicles that are more unreliable than traditional gas vehicles are the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Rivian’s R1S and the R1T, and the Mercedes Benz EQS. Each scored at the absolute bottom of the Consumer Report’s list of reliable vehicle brands.
Even though several car brands have built electric vehicles in the past few years, many car manufacturers have room for improvement when it comes to some models. In order for consumers to embrace electric cars more, improving the overall reliability of electric vehicles will go a long way in converting more of the public to EV users.
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