Electric vehicles (EVs) are the least reliable fuel type and spend longer off the road than other cars when they need to be repaired, according to a survey by Which?.

The consumer organisation has called on car manufacturers to improve the reliability of EVs.

The research, which surveyed 48,034 car owners, found that of cars up to four years old, 31 per cent of EV owners reported one fault or more, compared to only 19 per cent of petrol car owners.

Owners of those faulty electric cars went an average of just over five days without the use of their car while it was being fixed – compared to three days for petrol vehicles.

Which? said that the Kia e-Niro is both the most reliable EV and the most reliable small or compact SUV of any fuel type and that the vehicle proves that electric cars “have the potential to be very dependable”.

“We know that drivers are keen to make the move to more environmentally-friendly cars but it is vital that they are getting a quality product,” said Lisa Barber, Which? home products and services editor. “Whilst it’s disappointing to see that EVs as a group are the least reliable, Kia’s e-Niro shows there is a significant opportunity for manufacturers to up their game and provide drivers with a reliable and more sustainable car.

“With EVs in particular, our research shows a premium price tag does not necessarily mean a reliable vehicle, so we would always encourage drivers to do their research ahead of such a significant purchase to see which cars and brands they can trust.”

Only 6 per cent of e-Niro owners reported any kind of fault with their car and only 1 per cent said their car had failed to start or broke down. However, those that did have an issue faced an average of around eight and a half days off the road.

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