While electric cars boast fewer components thanks to their electric drive, the German newspaper “Handelsblatt” admits that this doesn’t necessarily translate to lower repair frequency. Quite the contrary.
Despite experiencing fewer breakdowns, electric cars require more frequent and often lengthier visits to the workshop compared to their combustion engine counterparts, a recent survey by market observers from Uscale reveals.
A Comparative Analysis of Electric and Combustion Engine Vehicles
A study involving 2,154 electric car drivers and 400 users of diesel or gasoline engines in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland revealed a higher workshop visitation rate for electric vehicles. During the same period, 24 percent of electric car owners reported technical faults, with 19 percent addressing significant issues flagged by manufacturers. In contrast, combustion engine cars reported significantly lower figures of 9 and 5 percent, respectively. Moreover, electric car owners experienced longer-than-expected repair durations, with 19 percent of repairs exceeding anticipated timeframes, compared to just 6 percent for combustion engine cars.
Polish Drivers’ Preference for Combustion Engines
Despite global trends towards electric mobility, a recent Deloitte survey reveals a strong preference among Polish drivers for traditional combustion engine vehicles. With 55% expressing their favour for combustion engines, only a mere 6% show interest in fully electric options, while 18% consider hybrid engines. Factors such as vehicle pricing, rapid charging infrastructure availability, and public subsidy programs are identified as crucial in attracting Polish drivers to electric and hybrid vehicles.
Read more: Electric Car Maintenance Costs Exceed Expectations, Reveals German PressEU’s Ambitious Ban on Combustion Engine Cars
Looking ahead, the European Union’s plan to ban the sale of new combustion engine cars by 2035 is poised to shake up the automotive industry. This initiative, part of the broader European Green Deal, seeks to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 by drastically reducing carbon emissions from new cars. The ban will extend to both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, mandating a transition to zero-emission alternatives such as electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles.
As automakers gear up to align their production lines with these regulations, consumers will face a limited selection, restricted to electric and alternative fuel vehicles.