High-mileage EVs fail MOTs less often than petrol cars

Electric cars with high mileages were less likely than comparable petrol cars to fail a UK MOT roadworthiness test, according to an analysis commissioned by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA). The findings show little difference between the vehicle types at lower mileages, while the reported gap favors electric vehicles (EVs) above 90,000 miles. The analysis does not assess battery condition. The study, conducted by consultancy New AutoMotive for the BVRLA, examined 47.4 million MOT tests alongside 863 million historical records. Among cars with more than 120,000 miles, about 16% of EVs failed, compared with 23.5% of petrol cars. For cars with 90,000 to 120,000 miles, the reported EV failure rate was about 16% to 16.5%, against 22.1% for petrol cars. The reports characterize that difference as roughly a 25% lower likelihood of failure for EVs in this mileage band. At 20,000 to 40,000 miles, failure rates were similar: 12% for EVs and 11.7% for petrol cars. The results therefore do not show an EV advantage at every mileage level. The reported high-mileage comparisons concern MOT failures, not every measure of vehicle reliability or condition.