Analysis of 47.4 million MOT tests suggests electric cars are less likely than petrol equivalents to fail once mileages climb — but the figures do not tell the whole story about battery health or overall reliability.
High mileage has long been one of the quickest ways to make a used-car buyer nervous. New MOT analysis suggests that assumption may need rethinking for electric cars.
A study commissioned by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) and carried out by New AutoMotive analysed 47.4 million official DVSA MOT records. It found relatively little difference between battery-electric and petrol cars at lower mileages, but a clearer gap opens once vehicles move beyond roughly 60,000 miles.
The gap gets wider as mileage rises
Among cars aged three to eight with between 90,000 and 120,000 miles recorded, 16.5% of EVs failed their MOT compared with 22.1% of petrol cars. Above 120,000 miles, the EV failure rate was 16.0%, against 23.5% for petrol.
At lower mileages the picture is much closer. Between 20,000 and 40,000 miles, 12.0% of battery-electric cars failed compared with 11.7% of petrol cars. That matters because it stops the data being reduced to the simplistic claim that “EVs are always more reliable”. The stronger finding is that MOT failure rates for EVs appear to level off as mileage climbs, while petrol and diesel failure rates continue to rise.
Why might high-mileage EVs fare better?
The obvious mechanical difference is complexity. A battery-electric car does not have an exhaust system, engine oil circuit, conventional fuel system or the same collection of moving engine components found in an internal-combustion car.
That does not make an EV maintenance-free. Brakes, steering, suspension, wheel bearings, tyres, lighting and other roadworthiness items remain part of ownership, while electric cars add high-voltage systems and traction batteries of their own.
The BVRLA analysis is particularly interesting on suspension. Despite the additional mass associated with many EV battery packs, the researchers said they found no evidence that heavier electric cars suffer greater suspension problems in the MOT data.
The catch: an MOT is not a battery-health test
This is the most important limitation for anyone using the figures to assess a second-hand EV. An MOT tells you whether a car meets defined roadworthiness standards at the time of the test. It does not provide a measurement of usable battery capacity, charging performance or long-term battery degradation.
The DVSA MOT inspection manual covers areas including brakes, steering, lighting, wheels, tyres, suspension and other safety-related equipment. It also gives testers specific guidance for electric and hybrid vehicles, but that is very different from a full traction-battery state-of-health assessment.
So a high-mileage EV passing its MOT should not be treated as proof that its battery is in excellent condition. Used buyers should still look at remaining warranty cover, charging behaviour, displayed range, service history and — where possible — battery-health information for the specific car. Our guide to why your EV’s battery percentage can be misleading explains why the number shown on the dashboard is only part of the picture.
Tyres remain one area to watch
The research did identify more tyre defects among EVs. That is a useful reminder that the lower MOT failure rate does not mean every running-cost concern disappears.
Tyre wear can be influenced by vehicle weight, torque delivery, wheel alignment, driving style, tyre choice and inflation pressure. The DVSA’s MOT rules require the tyres fitted to the road wheels to meet condition, fitment and tread requirements; for most passenger cars the primary grooves must have at least 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around the full circumference.
What this means for used-EV buyers
The biggest value in this dataset is that it gives buyers another reason not to dismiss an electric car simply because the odometer has passed an arbitrary mileage threshold.
Condition still matters more than a single number. A well-maintained 80,000-mile EV with sensible charging history, good tyres and documented servicing may be a better proposition than a lower-mileage example that has been neglected.
That fits with what we have seen in our own longer-term EV coverage. Our Peugeot E-3008 long-term ownership update looks at how an EV changes once the novelty has worn off and real mileage starts accumulating, while our guide to 10 things to know before buying your first electric car covers the practical ownership questions that specification sheets often miss.
Tech Torque Verdict
The MOT data is encouraging for the used-EV market because it challenges the idea that higher mileage automatically means an electric car is approaching the end of its useful life. At the highest mileage bands in this study, EVs were failing fewer MOTs than comparable petrol cars.
But MOT performance and complete vehicle reliability are not the same thing. Battery condition remains one of the most important checks on a used EV, and tyre condition deserves particular attention. The useful takeaway is therefore not that high-mileage EVs are risk-free — it is that mileage alone is increasingly a poor reason to rule one out.
