Are Gas Cars Really More Reliable Than EVs? Here's What The Latest Study Says
There are a whole host of reasons as to why people have been transitioning over to electric vehicles from the gas-powered ones people have been driving for over a century. Namely, there are the environmental benefits that come along with driving a car that is not powered by fossil fuels, which are quite detrimental to the environment. Having said that, electric vehicles are still a relatively new product in the automobile industry, and although they may have their benefits, that does not mean the car companies have perfected the electric vehicle quite yet. After all, they haven't perfected the gas-powered ones either, and they have had decades upon decades to do that.
One thing the companies have figured out when it comes to the traditional automobile is how reliable they are. They have made machines that have been able to withstand long stretches of time despite any number of issues that could occur with them. This is particularly true for the automakers from Asia, such as Toyota and Honda, who have routinely created reliable vehicles that can last people a long time, this writer included.
So, how do the newer breed of electric vehicles stack up against their oiled-up counterparts when it comes to reliability? Well, the competition is honestly not even that close.
Still no match against gas-powered vehicles
In a recent survey conducted by Consumer Reports about vehicles from the last three model years, they found the reliability of electric vehicles to be lacking mightily when compared to gas-powered automobiles. Their survey found EVs to have 79% more problems than gas vehicles. Considering these vehicles don't even have the opportunity to develop engine or transmission problems like your traditional vehicle, that is a staggering difference between the two.
Their survey placed the different types of vehicles on a 0-100 scale, and electric cars and SUVs both found themselves in the low-to-mid 40s. Not even being able to crack the halfway mark on that scale is a tough place to be. Electric trucks fared even worse, finishing with an average score of 30. Granted, trucks on the whole placed last among the different types of vehicles when it comes to reliability, but the average was still 11 points higher than electric trucks by themselves.
Some of Consumer Reports' most reliable cars included sedans like the 2024 Toyota Camry, with an overall score of 88, and luxury SUVs like the 2024 BMW X5, with an impressive 92. Now, even though the survey did not have the greatest things to say about electric vehicles' reliability, there was a more efficient vehicle that did perform extremely well.
Hybrids stand on top
We cannot forget about hybrids, which are mostly a gas-powered vehicle but do have a battery source that works for slower speed situations. Not only do these vehicles stack up well against traditional gas vehicles, but they actually scored better when it comes to reliability. Consumer Reports found that hybrids overall have 26% fewer problems than gas vehicles.
As previously mentioned, the survey found the 2024 Toyota Camry to be an enormously reliable vehicle with an 88 score. However, the 2024 Toyota Camry Hybrid bested that with a 93 out of 100, and the average over the last three model years was 87, tying for the most reliable vehicle surveyed. If you're looking for a new car that is least likely to fail you, clearly a hybrid is the way to go.
However, not all hybrids are created equal. There are regular hybrids, and there are plug-In hybrids. The latter fare much worse than your standard hybrid. They even do worse than standard electric vehicles in the survey, which shows they have 146% more problems than gas-powered vehicles. That 172% swing between the two different kinds of hybrid is massive, so make sure you know which kind you're getting when you buy a hybrid if reliability is your most important factor.
EVs may not be as reliable as gas vehicles now, but with more time and research, those numbers should eventually even out.