Ecomento.com: Electric vehicles have been found to be among the most reliable money can buy, according to a survey undertaken by Consumer Reports.
Owners and mechanics who have worked on electric cars will tell you that this reliability stems from the simplicity of the drivetrain. Electric motors, in particular, have precious few moving parts in comparison to a combustion engines and even brake components are saved from unnecessary wear and tear thanks to regenerative braking.
The survey of 1.1 million vehicles found the Nissan LEAF to be particularly trustworthy, with reliability rated at 60 percent above average. The Japanese hatchback earned near-perfect scores for the third year in a row, adding to its reputation as an excellent buy for people new to electromobility.
Tesla’s Model S sedan also scored very highly, particularly in regard to its electric hardware and, unusually for such a young and inexperienced company, the quality of its paint and trim. Among 600 Tesla’s tested, not a single problem with the electric motor, lithium-ion battery, or electronics was reported.
However, Consumer Reports was unimpressed by squeaks and rattles due to fit and finish – a known problem with the Model S – as well as mechanical glitches with the electric door handles. The sunroof, doors, and locks are exhibited problems.
Battery-electric vehicles may have fared well, but adding a gasoline engine into the mix has a detrimental impact to reliability, if only slight in most cases. Reliability for the Toyota Prius was unsurprisingly rated highly, however, with the Lexus ES300h, and Honda CR-Z sports-hybrid also taking plaudits.
Consumer Reports’ survey findings will make uncomfortable reading for Ford, particularly in light of its recent fuel economy downgrading. The plug-in hybrid C-Max Energi received the worst score in the survey, withConsumer Reports saying that the C-Max Hybrid wasn’t much better.
The survey paints an attractive picture for owners of battery-electric cars, but there seems to be considerable variability in the fortunes of hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars. Japanese brands such as Toyota and Lexus have again justified their position as leaders in reliability, however.
Owners and mechanics who have worked on electric cars will tell you that this reliability stems from the simplicity of the drivetrain. Electric motors, in particular, have precious few moving parts in comparison to a combustion engines and even brake components are saved from unnecessary wear and tear thanks to regenerative braking.
The survey of 1.1 million vehicles found the Nissan LEAF to be particularly trustworthy, with reliability rated at 60 percent above average. The Japanese hatchback earned near-perfect scores for the third year in a row, adding to its reputation as an excellent buy for people new to electromobility.
Tesla’s Model S sedan also scored very highly, particularly in regard to its electric hardware and, unusually for such a young and inexperienced company, the quality of its paint and trim. Among 600 Tesla’s tested, not a single problem with the electric motor, lithium-ion battery, or electronics was reported.
However, Consumer Reports was unimpressed by squeaks and rattles due to fit and finish – a known problem with the Model S – as well as mechanical glitches with the electric door handles. The sunroof, doors, and locks are exhibited problems.
Battery-electric vehicles may have fared well, but adding a gasoline engine into the mix has a detrimental impact to reliability, if only slight in most cases. Reliability for the Toyota Prius was unsurprisingly rated highly, however, with the Lexus ES300h, and Honda CR-Z sports-hybrid also taking plaudits.
Consumer Reports’ survey findings will make uncomfortable reading for Ford, particularly in light of its recent fuel economy downgrading. The plug-in hybrid C-Max Energi received the worst score in the survey, withConsumer Reports saying that the C-Max Hybrid wasn’t much better.
The survey paints an attractive picture for owners of battery-electric cars, but there seems to be considerable variability in the fortunes of hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars. Japanese brands such as Toyota and Lexus have again justified their position as leaders in reliability, however.
