Electric vehicles may remain mechanically roadworthy for longer at high mileages than comparable petrol cars, according to a UK analysis of 47.4 million MOT records. The findings could influence replacement planning, residual-value models and maintenance strategies for fleets, leasing firms and used-car businesses, although the study does not measure battery condition or total lifetime repair costs.
EV inspection performance improves relative to petrol cars at higher mileage
The research was commissioned by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) and carried out by independent transport research organisation New AutoMotive using records from Britain’s official MOT testing database.
For vehicles aged between three and eight years and with 90,000 to 120,000 miles recorded, battery-electric vehicles had an MOT failure rate of 16.5%, compared with 22.1% for petrol cars of similar age and mileage. Above 120,000 miles, EVs had a 16% failure rate, while petrol vehicles reached 23.5%.
The researchers identified a change in the trend at around 60,000 miles. Petrol-car failure rates continued to rise as mileage increased, while the failure rate for EVs broadly levelled off. That pattern challenges the conventional use of mileage as a simple proxy for vehicle wear, particularly in fleet replacement policies and used-vehicle pricing.
For fleet operators, the results indicate that some EVs could potentially stay in service beyond traditional mileage replacement points. Extending operating life could reduce replacement frequency and spread purchase costs over a longer period. However, the report cautions that MOT outcomes alone cannot determine whether this approach delivers better total cost of ownership.
Depreciation, repair bills, operating downtime, battery performance and charging-related issues would all need to be considered before altering replacement cycles.
Electric vans also recorded lower failure rates in the comparisons
The study included comparisons between electric and diesel versions of the Nissan NV200 and Renault Kangoo. In both cases, the electric versions recorded lower MOT failure rates than their diesel counterparts.
That may be relevant to commercial fleets operating urban delivery, service or municipal vehicles, where high utilisation can quickly accumulate mileage. Still, the research does not establish a universal financial advantage for electric vans. Their operating economics will depend on duty cycles, local conditions, maintenance arrangements and broader total-cost-of-ownership calculations.
The results may also have consequences for vehicle remarketing. Residual-value forecasts have traditionally placed substantial weight on age and odometer readings. The research suggests those measures may not fully reflect the condition of an older EV, particularly when compared with an internal-combustion vehicle at the same mileage.
Leasing companies and remarketing businesses could instead place more emphasis on inspection history, maintenance records and independent battery assessments when forecasting used-EV values.
Tyres and friction brakes require particular attention
While EVs performed better overall in the high-mileage MOT data, the study found maintenance differences that fleet managers should not overlook. EVs recorded around 1.8 times as many tyre defects as petrol cars. Some earlier EVs based on adapted combustion-car platforms showed especially large differences.
Suspension results did not support the assumption that heavier electric vehicles inevitably suffer more suspension problems. Between 60,000 and 90,000 miles, EVs recorded 4.7 suspension defects per 100 inspections, versus 6.1 for petrol cars.
Regenerative braking was associated with fewer brake defects among high-mileage EVs. Yet older electric cars that were driven relatively infrequently showed more friction-brake issues, including corrosion. This means EV maintenance schedules may need to include regular tyre checks and periodic inspection of conventional brake components, even where regenerative braking reduces pad and disc wear.
Battery condition remains the key limitation
The strongest caveat is that an MOT test does not assess battery degradation. An EV can pass a statutory roadworthiness inspection while still experiencing lower usable capacity, reduced driving range or charging faults that materially affect its value and usefulness.
The analysis also does not capture unscheduled repairs, electrical-system failures or roadside breakdowns. Lower MOT failure rates therefore should not be treated as proof that high-mileage EVs are always cheaper to maintain or more reliable over their full lifetime.
Older EVs nevertheless appeared to remain in use. Among 15-year-old vehicles, 94.6% of EVs returned for another MOT within 30 months, compared with 88.1% of petrol vehicles. At 12 years old, EVs recorded median annual mileage of about 4,920 miles, versus 4,410 miles for petrol cars. The researchers note that MOT return data cannot definitively measure survival rates, since vehicles may have been scrapped, exported or registered off-road.
For the growing high-mileage EV market, the study points to a more detailed approach: combine MOT records with standardised battery-health testing, repair histories and real operating-cost data before making lifecycle or residual-value decisions.
