High-Mileage EVs Pass MOT Tests More Often Than Petrol Cars
A study of 47.4 million MOT tests finds electric vehicles are 25% less likely to fail than petrol cars at high mileage.
Electric vehicles with heavy mileage on the odometer outperform their petrol counterparts in reliability, according to a large-scale analysis of British roadworthiness tests. The study, which examined 47.4 million MOT test records, found that EVs driven between 90,000 and 120,000 miles were approximately 25% less likely to fail the annual inspection than petrol vehicles of the same age.
The raw numbers underscore the gap: EVs in that high-mileage bracket recorded a failure rate of 16.5%, compared with 22.1% for equivalent petrol models. The roughly six-percentage-point difference suggests that electric drivetrains may sustain fewer mechanical problems over time than combustion engines subject to years of heat, friction, and fluid degradation.
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The findings carry practical weight for the used-car market, where consumer skepticism about aging EV batteries and long-term durability has weighed on resale values. Evidence that older, high-mileage electric cars clear safety benchmarks at higher rates than petrol alternatives could shift buyer confidence and influence pricing dynamics in the secondhand sector.
The research adds to a growing body of data examining how EVs perform across their full operational lifespan rather than just in early ownership. As the oldest mainstream EVs accumulate substantial mileage, real-world reliability data of this scale becomes increasingly valuable for consumers, insurers, and policymakers assessing the long-term case for electrification.
Continue reading at Business | The Guardian.
