Electric vehicles (EVs) have reached a significant milestone in their development, with research showing they now last as long as their petrol and diesel counterparts. A study analyzing nearly 300 million records from the UK’s compulsory roadworthiness test (MOT) between 2005 and 2022 found that EVs have an average lifespan of more than 18.4 years. This surpasses the average diesel vehicle lifespan of 16.8 years and is almost on par with petrol vehicles, which average 18.7 years.
Key Findings
The research, conducted by Robert Elliott at the University of Birmingham and his colleagues, also revealed that EVs now cover an average distance of 200,000 kilometers during their lifetime. While this exceeds the 187,000 km average for petrol vehicles, it falls short of the 257,000 km achieved by diesel vehicles. Significantly, the study found that the long-term reliability of EVs is improving at a rapid pace. The likelihood of an EV failing and being scrapped in any given year is declining around twice as fast as for petrol vehicles and about six times as fast as for diesel vehicles.
Elliott noted that early electric cars had reliability issues, but the technology is improving rapidly. “We’re not environmental crusaders. We just want to give the facts. Electric cars and the batteries, they’re just living longer, and the technology is improving,” he said. The study’s findings are supported by other research from the US, which has shown that maintenance costs for electric cars are lower than for internal combustion engine vehicles.
Expert Insights
While the shift to EVs is seen as beneficial for combating climate change and air pollution, experts caution that they are not a silver bullet. Rachel Aldred from the University of Westminster emphasized that EVs are still a limited solution and that prioritizing walking, cycling, and public transport should remain a key focus for sustainable transportation.
The study’s results were published in Nature Energy, highlighting the growing viability of electric vehicles as a long-term alternative to traditional fossil fuel-powered cars.
