ELECTRIC VEHICLES IMPROVED BUT STILL LESS RELIABLE THAN GAS MODELS: SURVEY
The reliability of electric vehicles has improved, but many drivers still say gas-powered vehicles are more dependable, a new survey from Consumer Reports found.
The Survey
Consumer Reports subscribers who participated in surveys throughout 2024 reported that electric vehicles experienced 42 percent more issues on average than gasoline-powered cars. While still higher, this marked a significant improvement from the 79 percent gap reported in the 2023 survey. The findings, released Thursday, assessed reliability for vehicles primarily from the 2022, 2023 and 2024 model years.
Plug-in hybrids, which operate on battery power for short distances before switching to a hybrid engine, were reported to have 70 percent more problems than gasoline-powered cars. However, this reflects an improvement of more than half compared to the gap noted in last year's survey.
Electric Vehicle Improvements
The improvement can be attributed to the maturation of electric and plug-in hybrid technology, according to Jake Fisher, head of Consumer Reports' automotive test center.
"As the automakers get more experience with the new technologies and new platforms, they will improve," Fisher said.
Fisher anticipates that plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles will continue improving, narrowing the reliability gap with gas-powered cars. However, he cautioned that progress could be hindered as automakers frequently debut advanced automation and other experimental features on EVs, which are often susceptible to glitches.
"Until we get to where an EV is just a car that does practical things with their own powertrain, I'm not sure they'll ever catch up totally to gas vehicles," he said.
As electric vehicles transition from early adopters to a more practical, mainstream audience, they may come packed with more advanced technology than the next wave of buyers is ready for, Fisher explained.
"There are people who just want a car that's easy to maintain...I don't use gas. I don't need this automation feature and electric door handles or whatever the heck they are putting out," Fisher said.
Consumer Reports has highlighted that concerns about the reliability of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles compound other factors that may deter buyers from moving away from gasoline engines, such as steep upfront costs, a limited number of charging stations and lengthy charging times.
Electric Vehicle Sales
Electric vehicle sales climbed 7.2 percent through September this year, while plug-in hybrids saw an 11.6 percent boost. However, hybrids dominated with a 32.6 percent increase, according to data from Motorintelligence.com.
Subaru claimed the top spot for reliability in Consumer Reports' 2024 survey, which drew on data from approximately 300,000 vehicle owners. Lexus and Toyota, typically among the highest-ranked brands, followed in second and third place. Honda and its luxury division, Acura, completed the top five. Notably, it marked the first time since 2020 that neither Toyota nor Lexus led the rankings, according to Fisher.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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2024-12-05T17:37:54Z