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Battery EVs beat traditional cars for reliability

Battery EVs beat traditional cars for reliability

Business news |
By Nick Flaherty

Cette publication existe aussi en Français


Battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) are now more reliable and can match the lifetime of traditional cars and vans with petrol and diesel engines says an international study using UK data.

BEVs now have a lifetime of 18.4 years and can travel up to 124,000 miles, surpassing traditional cars with petrol combustion engines in mileage. 

Researchers used data from nearly 300 million records from the UK Ministry of Transport (MOT) tests charting the ‘health’ of every vehicle in the UK between 2005 and 2022. This was used to estimate vehicle longevity and provide a comprehensive analysis of survival rates for different powertrains. 

The international research team found that, although early Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) were less reliable than internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), rapid advances in technology have enabled newer BEVs to achieve comparable lifespans, even under more intensive use.  

BEVs now have a 12% lower likelihood of failure (hazard rate) for each successive year of production, compared to 6.7% for petrol and 1.9% for diesel vehicles says the team from the University of Birmingham, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), University of Bern, Switzerland and University of California San Diego.

The study highlights the importance of advances in technology in promoting the adoption of BEVs. It also provides valuable insights for fleet replacement strategies and planning how to effectively recycle electric vehicles at the end of their working life.  

Nissan reports that almost all of the batteries that they have ever produced are still in use in the EVs they sold over the last 12 year, and an analysis of over 6,300 EVs by the fleet management company Geotab suggests that the majority of EV batteries will outlast the usable life of the vehicles.

“Our findings provide critical insights into the lifespan and environmental impact of electric vehicles. No longer just a niche option, BEVs are a viable and sustainable alternative to traditional vehicles – a significant step towards achieving a net-zero carbon future,” said Dr Viet Nguyen-Tien, from the LSE. 

“BEVs offer significant environmental benefits, especially as Europe switches to a more renewable energy mix. Despite higher initial emissions from production, a long-lasting electric vehicle can quickly offset its carbon footprint, contributing to the fight against climate change – making them a more sustainable long-term option,” said Robert Elliott, Professor of Economics at the University of Birmingham.

Our findings offer consumers reliable data to make informed decisions about their vehicle purchases, whilst policymakers can use our insights to shape regulations and incentives that promote the adoption of durable and environmentally friendly vehicles and plan ahead their end-of-life treatment.” 

www.birmingham.ac.uk

 

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