EV warranty claims: the most common faults and reliable brands
The most common warranty claims for electric cars are almost all unrelated to their electric powertrains, according to new data.
Figures from the Warranty Solutions Group (WSG) show that only two of the 10 most common repairs on EVs are specifically linked to batteries, motors and charging. The rest are the same mechanical and electrical issues experienced by petrol and diesel cars.
The latest Market View Report from the aftermarket warranty provider looked at data from 800 cars across 18 brands. It shows that, as the UK’s EV fleet matures and cars get older, EV warranty claims are on the rise but the key problems are nothing new.
Failure of the 12V battery was the number one problem, followed by broken shock absorbers. Problems with air conditioning and suspension arms were the next most common, ahead of issues with charger ports – the first EV-specific failure on the list.
The only other problem specific to electric cars in the top 10 was failure of the on-board charger, which was the ninth most common fault. While the charger port repairs were a relatively cheap £119 on average to put right, issues with the charger itself carried a hefty £1,038 repair bill.
The report shows that EV warranty pay-outs are around 27% higher than those for internal combustion (ICE) vehicles. While a rare occurrence, WSG says replacing an EV’s drive battery can cost between £8,000 and £12,000, pushing up the average to £827.55 compared with £623.10 for an ICE car. WSG said that the extra training, tools and time required for some complex EV repairs also helped push up the cost of repair work.
Most reliable EV brands
The report also identified the most reliable EV brands in the UK, with Hyundai coming out on top.
The South Korean brand, which has helped spearhead mainstream EV adoption, saw a claim rate of just 3.7% for its electric models. It also had among the lowest average payouts, at £309 per claim.
Close behind it was Toyota, a brand famous for its reliability. Its sole EV – the bZ4X – saw a claim rate of 3.88% but a higher average cost of £690. Hyundai’s sister brand Kia, which shares the E-GMP EV platform, came third in the list of most reliable, with a claim rate of 4% and average repair costs of £324.
Other mainstream brands including Nissan, Vauxhall, Renault and Honda were among the 10 brands with the lowest EV warranty claims, while premium brands lagged some way behind. Only Telsa made it into the top 10, and in ninth position.
The new figures come as the Motoring Ombudsman reported a rise in EV-related disputes. According to its data, cases raised against dealers and garages were up 60% in 2024 but were still far less common than for petrol and diesel cars.
Bill Fennell, chief ombudsman, commented: “This rise aligns with the growing adoption of EVs in the UK. However, despite this increase, EVs still generate fewer complaints per vehicle compared to their non-EV counterparts. Based on our latest data, there was one dispute for every 195 EVs, compared to one in every 41 petrol, diesel, and hybrid models.
“Most EV complaints stemmed from customer service issues, followed by technical problems with the vehicles themselves. As the EV market matures, addressing these concerns will be critical for manufacturers and retailers to build consumer trust and satisfaction.”
