Electric vehicles less reliable because of newer technologies, Consumer Reports finds

Electric vehicles are among the slightest reliable cars and trucks successful the automotive manufacture today, according to Consumer Reports rankings released Tuesday.

When compared with hybrid and gas-powered cars and trucks, electrical vehicles powered wholly by batteries were the worst performing segment, speech from accepted full-size pickup trucks, according to Consumer Reports.

Reliability issues with electrical vehicles were expected, since astir automakers, with the objection of aboriginal EV-leader Tesla, launched afloat electrical models successful caller years, said Jake Fisher, elder manager of car investigating astatine Consumer Reports. He said companies person not had clip to robust retired issues that interaction reliability.

Since electrical car buyers thin to beryllium tech-loving aboriginal adopters, automakers besides battalion the models with a big of different features that could besides pb to issues.

"The automakers are utilizing EVs arsenic a technological testbed for immoderate caller exertion they privation to effort out," Fisher told CNBC. "By having each this caller technology, there's a batch of imaginable problems with them."

Consumer Reports surveyed owners of much than 300,000 vehicles from exemplary years 2000 to 2022 and utilized that information to marque predictions astir the reliability of 2023 exemplary twelvemonth vehicles.

Electric models comprised a bigger information successful the rankings than ever before. State and national incentives, and caller biology regulations person encouraged greater adoption of afloat electrical cars successful and extracurricular the U.S., successful ample portion to effort to trim aerial contamination from transportation.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, charging a hybrid- oregon fully-electric conveyance tin origin contamination astatine the powerfulness plant, but full emissions from driving the cars are little than from gasoline-powered cars. Electric vehicles tin besides go "greener" implicit clip arsenic powerfulness supplied from cleanable oregon renewable resources similar nuclear, star and upwind increases.

The study covers 24 car brands with an established history. Of the 275 models successful the report, lone 11 models from 7 brands were afloat electrical vehicles. Owners of much than 2,000 Tesla vehicles were surveyed.

Topping the database of electrical vehicles was the Kia EV6, which was considerably supra average. At the bottommost of the EV reliability rankings was the electrical Hyundai Kona.

Fully-electric vehicles, galore of which were archetypal released successful caller years, comprised a bigger conception of the database this twelvemonth than ever before, but inactive lone correspond a tiny conception successful the market.

Unlike all-electric vehicles, hybrid cars and trucks were among the astir reliable successful the study. That's mostly due to the fact that galore hybrids, specified arsenic the Toyota Prius, person been connected the marketplace for years, truthful automakers person been capable to enactment the problems retired of them.

"When you enactment successful caller technology, and you effort caller things, and you deviate from what is proven technology, you're going to person much problems," Fisher said.

Topping this year's reliability database for brands were Toyota, Lexus, BMW, Mazda and Honda – each ranking supra mean reliability. Seven of the apical 10 astir reliable brands were from Japanese and Korean automakers. Lincoln is the lone home marque successful this year's apical 10 rankings.

Rankings of idiosyncratic vehicles by Consumer Reports were not instantly available.

As an wide brand, Tesla moved up 4 spots successful the reliability rankings compared to past twelvemonth but remained beneath average. Other brands with lower-than-average reliability included Chevrolet, GMC, Volkswagen, Jeep and Mercedes-Benz.

Fisher said Tesla is simply a "standout" regarding electrical powertrains compared to bequest automakers.

However, Tesla owners proceed to study problems with assemblage hardware, overgarment and trim successful their vehicles crossed each models, according to Steve Elek, programme person for car information analytics astatine Consumer Reports.

Elek said that Tesla's high-end sedan, the Model S, exhibited steering and suspension troubles, and that the Model S and Model Y crossover inferior vehicles some proceed to person issues with aerial conditioning and vigor systems.

The halfway touchscreen featured successful Tesla vehicles remained problematic successful the Tesla Model S and Model Y.

Selling less Model X vehicles, which person historically experienced problems, besides assisted Tesla's ranking, Fisher said. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has compared the Model X, an SUV with falcon-wing doors, to a "Faberge egg" owed to the comparatively precocious fig of parts required to marque the car.

The company's entry-level sedan, the Model 3, was the lone Tesla with an mean reliability ranking, portion the Model S and Model Y ranked beneath average.

Consumer Reports did not complaint the reliability of operator assistance systems specified arsenic Tesla's Autopilot successful its analysis.