These are the most reliable electric car brands on the market according to the OCU

With the price of fossil fuels through the roof for several months, due to political instability in the Strait of Hormuz, more and more European drivers have opted to buy fully electric vehicles, also thanks to the boost from institutions, in the form of aid for the purchase of electric cars.

In an increasingly electrified market, the OCU (Organization of Consumers and Users) has conducted a survey among 3,810 buyers of new electric vehicles from ten European countries to assess the degree of satisfaction and reliability of their cars, and has classified them by brands or manufacturers.

BMW leads the reliability ranking of new electric cars with a score of 91 out of 100 points, tied with Smart, the subsidiary of the Daimler-Benz group (Mercedes) that is dedicated to a much more specific niche or market segment.

The reliability podium is closed by the Chinese brand BYD, which ties (although it surpasses in volume and number of models) Dacia – which only markets one electric car, the Dacia Spring – or Tesla, which currently only markets two vehicles, the Model Y and the Model 3.

Tesla, leader in satisfaction

In parallel with the reliability ranking, the OCU study has also asked electric car drivers about their general satisfaction with the brand and has evaluated other aspects such as the charging network, user support, and driving experience. Tesla leads the customer satisfaction ranking, followed very closely by other premium manufacturers such as BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, or Polestar.

More expensive to insure, cheaper to maintain

The OCU has also paid special attention to the maintenance cost of electric vehicles compared to combustion vehicles, establishing an average electricity consumption of 18 kWh/100 km for electric vehicles (consumption is slightly higher on the highway) and 7.5 l/100 km for combustion vehicles. Under these conditions and assuming that the electric vehicle can always be charged on a domestic network (the cheapest tariff), the real cost of covering about 100,000 kilometers in an electric vehicle is €2,700 in electricity, while doing so in a gasoline vehicle would entail a cost of €12,000, that is, a difference of €9,000 in favor of the electric car.

The study also analyzes the annual cost of electric car maintenance, averaging around 140 euros compared to 250 euros for combustion engine cars, with many more items to change and supervise (filters, oils, or exhaust systems, among others).

Finally, the cost of electric vehicle insurance is still significantly higher than that of combustion vehicles with similar power. The OCU study indicates that insurers charge on average 35% more to contract insurance for an electric vehicle with the same coverage as a gasoline one.