Consumer Reports: Electric vehicles less reliable, on average, than conventional cars and trucks

According to the latest survey by Consumer Reports, electric vehicles (EVs) have been found to be far less reliable than gasoline-powered cars, trucks, and SUVs. The survey, which analyzed EVs from the 2021 through 2023 model years, found that they encountered nearly 80% more problems compared to vehicles with internal combustion engines. The most common issues reported by EV owners were related to battery and charging systems, as well as flaws in body panels and interior parts fit. Consumer Reports noted that these reliability concerns, along with other factors such as higher costs and limited charging infrastructure, contribute to the slower growth of EV sales. Plug-in hybrids were also found to be more problem-prone compared to fully electric vehicles, likely due to the complexity of having two separate power systems. In contrast, integrated gas-electric hybrid systems were found to be more reliable than gasoline vehicles. However, the survey also indicated that the reliability of EVs is improving, especially in the 2023 model year.