Research shows what powertrains most likely to breakdown

Research from What Car? has found that electric vehicles (EVs) breakdown more frequently than petrol, diesel, or hybrid models, and they are also the least likely to be repaired at the roadside.

The findings were taken from What Car?'s 2024 Reliability Survey, which was conducted with MotorEasy and asked 29,967 motorists to list Britain's most and least reliable cars.

EV drivers had a higher rate of breakdown within the last two years: 16.8 per cent compared to the average of 11 per cent. In contrast, 10.7 per cent of petrol-powered cars broke down, 14 per cent of hybrids, and 15 per cent of diesel cars.

EVs are also the least likely fuel type to be fixed on the roadside, with just 25 per cent able to continue on with their journey after breaking down. This is a stark difference from petrol cars, 40 per cent of which can be repaired fully on the roadside.

This consequently means that EVs were the most likely to be towed to a garage. 40 per cent of EV drivers experienced this, compared to 30 per cent of petrol car drivers.

EVs did, however, benefit from being the second best fuel type for being fixed for free, with 89 per cent of EVs being fixed at no cost, just behind hybrid cars at 91 per cent. Petrol and diesel cars, while less likely to break down in the first instance, were less likely to be repaired for free, at 76 per cent and 67 per cent respectively.