High-mileage electric cars more reliable than petrol models, UK study finds

Analysis of 47.4 million UK MOT tests shows electric vehicles fail inspections about 25% less often than comparable petrol cars after 90,000–120,000 miles, suggesting EVs have durability advantages in the used market.

First covered Sep 22, 2026 · 5:00 AM PT · 2 articles

High-mileage electric cars more reliable than petrol models, UK study finds — Image via electrek.co

Coverage

4d Guardian Environment High-mileage electric cars are more reliable than petrol ones, study finds — EVs with 90,000 to 120,000 miles on the clock are more likely to pass MOTs than petrol models of the same age Motorists buying a secondhand car with a lot of…

4d Electrek Massive UK study finds high-mileage electric cars more durable than petrol — A study of millions of UK vehicles shows that electric cars stay on the road longer than petrol cars, and the gap widens as mileage increases. more…

More coverage from around the web

aa.com.tr Electric cars in UK last as long as petrol and diesel vehicles, study finds

atfpro.co.uk Electric Vehicles Now Last as Long as Petrol and Diesel Cars, According to Study - ATF Professional

tech.slashdot.org Electric Cars in UK Last as Long as Petrol and Diesel Vehicles, Study Finds - Slashdot

gbnews.com Electric cars found to outlast petrol and diesel models with drivers urged to consider 'viable' option

motor1.com EVs now rival in lifespan to petrol and diesel cars, UK study finds

Discussion

HN: 11 pts3 comments Hacker News · 4d ago High-mileage electric cars are more reliable than petrol ones, study finds

Reddit: r/energy0↑ r/energy · 4d ago · 0 comments High-mileage electric cars are more reliable than petrol ones, study finds. EVs with 90k to 120k miles on the clock are 25% less likely to fail than petrol cars of the same age. The data suggests the mechanical simplicity of an electric drivetrain becomes increasingly valuable as cars age. · r/electricvehicles0↑ r/electricvehicles · 4d ago · 0 comments 'High-mileage electric cars are more reliable than petrol ones, study finds'

Appeared in: 2026-09-22 (#1) · 2026-09-23 (#2)

← Back to the brief