According to reports, ADAC staff handled over 3.6 million vehicle breakdown assistance requests in the past year. Through detailed records of each rescue, the organization has accumulated a vast amount of data, which shows that electric vehicles have a lower failure rate than traditional fuel-powered cars.
In 2024, ADAC stated for the first time that their data is sufficient to confidently assess the reliability of electric vehicles, and this assessment is favorable to EVs. With another year's worth of data, the reliability advantage of electric vehicles has become even more evident. Despite the number of rescue requests for electric vehicles reaching a new high, they only accounted for 1.2% of total assistance requests, or 43,678 cases.
According to Germany's "Handelsblatt," for vehicles first registered between 2020 and 2022, electric vehicles experienced 4.2 breakdowns per 1,000 cars, while the figure for traditional fuel-powered cars was 10.4.
Interestingly, for both electric vehicles and traditional fuel-powered cars, the most common failure point is the 12V battery. Among electric vehicle breakdowns, 50% are caused by issues with the 12V battery, while in traditional fuel vehicles, this proportion is 45%. Over the past few years, in nearly every category—including electrical systems, engine management, and lighting—traditional internal combustion engine vehicles have experienced more or equal numbers of failures compared to electric vehicles. Interestingly, for both electric vehicles and traditional fuel-powered cars, the most common failure point is the 12V battery. Among electric vehicle breakdowns, 50% are caused by issues with the 12V battery, while in traditional fuel vehicles, this proportion is 45%. Over the past few years, in nearly every category—including electrical systems, engine management, and lighting—traditional internal combustion engine vehicles have experienced more or equal numbers of failures compared to electric vehicles.
However, electric vehicles seem to encounter more issues with tires. Out of every 1,000 rescue requests, 1.3 are due to tire problems in electric vehicles, compared to 0.9 in traditional fuel-powered cars. Notably, newer electric vehicles appear to be less affected by this issue.
Of course, electric vehicles do not have the potential issues that traditional fuel-powered cars might encounter, regardless of whether they are new or old. EVs do not require oil changes and lack the complex powertrain of conventional internal combustion engines, resulting in fewer failure-prone components.
ADAC acknowledges that comparing electric vehicles and traditional fuel-powered cars still presents challenges. Because fully electric vehicles are relatively new and data is limited, it is still uncertain how reliable they will be after more than 10 years of use. However, current data is a positive sign, indicating that the reliability of electric vehicles is improving. Even without considering their positive impact on sustainability, EVs could potentially become a more practical form of transportation.
