For a long time, the debate between electric vehicles (EVs) and internal combustion engine (ICE) cars has been centered around performance, emissions, and running costs. But there’s a new factor adding fuel to the conversation—reliability. According to a massive new study by Germany’s ADAC (the German Automobile Club), EVs may actually be more dependable than traditional gas-powered vehicles.

What the data says

ADAC, Europe’s largest roadside assistance organization, analyzed data from more than 3.6 million breakdowns in the past year. This included 43,678 breakdowns involving electric cars. While that’s more EVs than ever before needing help, it still made up just 1.2% of all breakdowns—likely because there are more EVs on the road than ever before.

But here’s the headline: EVs had 4.2 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles, while ICE cars more than doubled that with 10.4 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles. This data covered vehicles registered between 2020 and 2022—so all are relatively new.

A shared weak Spot: 12-volt batteries

Surprisingly, the most common cause of breakdowns for both EVs and gas cars was the same: the 12-volt battery. This small but crucial part was responsible for 50% of EV breakdowns and 45% of ICE vehicle breakdowns.

In most other categories—like engine issues, electrical faults, and lighting—combustion cars had more or equal problems compared to EVs. The study suggests that because EVs don’t have complex engines or need oil changes, there are simply fewer things that can go wrong.

Tires: A small bump for EVs

The only category where EVs saw more issues than ICE vehicles was with tires. EVs had 1.3 tire-related service calls per 1,000 vehicles, while combustion vehicles had just 0.9. However, newer EVs don’t seem to suffer from this as much, possibly due to improvements in tire technology and weight distribution.

What this means

While EVs haven’t been around long enough for us to know how reliable they’ll be at the 10-year mark, the current data from ADAC paints a positive picture. Electric cars are not only greener but also—at least for now—less likely to break down than their gas-powered counterparts.

As EV technology continues to evolve and more data becomes available, we’ll get a clearer picture. But if you’re considering making the switch to electric, this is one more reason to feel confident in that choice.

Bottom Line:

EVs are proving to be more reliable than ICE cars in many areas, with fewer breakdowns reported overall. The most common issue for both remains the humble 12-volt battery—but with fewer parts to fail, EVs are showing they’re built for the long haul.