What happens when an EV goes wrong?
Electric vehicles (EVs) come with well-reported benefits: they’re smooth to drive, create zero exhaust emissions and have the potential for very low day-to-day running costs.
As our 2025 Which? Car Guide demonstrates we're big fans - and there are Which? Best Buys for EVs across a range of car classes.
When opting for an EV, what's less clear is what happens if it becomes faulty or breaks down. Does your local garage have the expertise to deal with an electric car? Can it be towed? And how much will a repair cost?
These are questions many drivers will be asking as the government progresses with its plan to phase out new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
Here, we take a look at some common faults and what difficulties EV owners face when trying to get a repair.
Common EV faults
Batteries and charging issues can be a big concern for those contemplating buying an EV, but a recent Which? survey (of 4,762 EV car owners, including Which? members and the general public between April - June 2024) found that both of these faults are rarely an issue.
Just 2% of faults reported on new EVs were with the main battery, and charging issues were around the same (2% for newer cars, 3% for older).
Battery performance may be another worry as batteries degrade over time, meaning they can’t store as much charge. But 96% of EV owners with a 2017 or 2018 model in our survey told us their battery was still providing more than 80% of its original range.
The most frequent fault on new EVs, according to our survey, relates to onboard computer software, while older EVs suffer more frequently from suspension problems. But faults will vary depending on what brand of car you have.
- Read more: Which?'s Best Buy EVs for 2025 revealed
What are the challenges with EV repairs?
Not all garages or repair shops have the specialist skills to facilitate repairs. According to the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), only one in five UK car technicians are trained to work on electric vehicles.
‘The shortage of skilled technicians has been exacerbated by several factors, including the retirement of experienced workers, insufficient training for new entrants and the rapid technological advancements in automotive design,’ Hayley Pells, Policy Lead at the IMI, said.
But the situation is improving. Dan Harrowell, a principal engineer at Thatcham Research, an automotive risk organisation focused on safety and sustainable repairs, told us: ‘Today, most vehicle manufacturers have upgraded their facilities and tooling to accommodate EV repairs, with many independent workshops also making significant strides.'
Supply issues for parts can sometimes complicate repairs, too, particularly with new EV models.
‘During the launch phase of a new vehicle model, the focus for manufacturers is on filling production quotas, making immediate access to parts more challenging. Repair times and costs for new vehicles often reflect this,’ Harrowell said. But once the model is in full production, components should be more readily available.'
'My EV took nine months to repair'
Ross Kinder, from Preston, was without his Hyundai EV for nine months after his battery developed a fault in November 2023 and wouldn’t charge above 80%.
He was told the repair was delayed due to a worldwide battery shortage. Hyundai provided a replacement vehicle—but for the first three months, it was a petrol car.
After several months passed, Ross felt he’d waited a reasonable amount of time for the repair, and asked to reject the vehicle under the Consumer Rights Act. However, Hyundai refused his request because, at that time, the vehicle hadn't yet been returned to the dealership.
Finally, in June 2024, Ross was told he could collect the car. But after driving 200 metres down the road, three warning lights came on. He had to return it to the dealership and wait for more repairs.
Despite a frustrating repair experience, Ross hasn't been deterred from EVs. ‘I still believe in electric cars - it’s just the poor customer service I received from Hyundai that has put me off their vehicles,’ he told us.
Hyundai told us it strives to deliver the best-possible service to its customers, however, sometimes circumstances occur which mean it’s unable to deliver the level it would like. The long delay in Ross’ case, it explained, related to the battery replacement, which it claimed was out of its control.
It said it always acts in line with the Consumer Rights Act, and if a customer wants to reject or swap a vehicle, it will review all options to ensure customer satisfaction.
How much do repairs cost?
EV repairs can sometimes seem more expensive, the IMI told us, but this reflects the vehicle’s different and advanced technologies.
Battery replacements are pricey, but it’s rare you’ll need this type of repair. ‘Most EV batteries are designed to last the vehicle’s lifetime, and as the industry develops, there’s a growing emphasis on repair and refurbishment rather than replacement', the IMI said.
Inflation has also contributed to an overall rise in parts costs, but Harrowell says prices are beginning to decline: ‘This trend reflects improvements in key-to-key times - which is the duration from vehicle handover to retrieval following an incident - as EV technology becomes more prevalent.’
Overall, repair costs for EVs are likely to decrease as adoption rises. The IMI said: ‘The market for EV repairs is still evolving, and as skilled technicians become more widely available, costs are expected to stabilise. With time, economies of scale and improvements in repair practices will contribute to making EV repairs more affordable for all.’
- Find out more: the truth about electric car battery degradation
What happens when an EV car breaks down?
When an EV breaks down, the process of getting your vehicle off the road and running again is slightly different than with petrol and diesel cars.
EVs are heavy and you can’t tow them as you would a petrol car, as it can cause damage to the vehicle’s motor and other components. However, lots of progress has been made within the car industry to find other ways of dealing with stranded EVs.
All the major breakdown providers, such as the RAC, AA and Green Flag, now offer cover for EVs, using specialist equipment to tow electric cars off the road, among other solutions.
What’s crucial at this stage is that your EV is routed to a repair shop equipped to handle high-voltage systems. ‘Repair centres vary in damage management capabilities: some may specialise in minor repairs, while others can address substantial structural damage,’ Harrowell told us.
If your car is sent to a garage that can’t fix the problem, you could be waiting longer for your vehicle to be re-routed and repaired. ‘Nevertheless, all manufacturer-affiliated dealerships are now equipped to service their EV models,’ Harrowell added.
Your consumer rights to reject a vehicle
- Under consumer law, you can reject a faulty vehicle for a full refund within 30 days of ownership. After 30 days but within six months, you’re entitled to a repair or replacement. After that, you have to prove there’s a problem with the vehicle that’s beyond normal wear and tear.
- Repairs must be made within a ‘reasonable time’, or you can reject your vehicle and get a refund. The law is unhelpfully vague as to what a reasonable timeframe means. External factors affecting repairs (eg skills shortages) might impact what would be considered in court as reasonable.
- When rejecting your car, consider whether you've been significantly inconvenienced while waiting for it to be repaired. If, for example, you weren't offered a like-for-like courtesy car while waiting for yours to be repaired, this could strengthen your claim.
- The dealership doesn’t have unlimited time to fix your vehicle, even if there are external events causing repair delays. If you feel you've waited beyond how long is reasonable, you can use our free complaints tool to formally reject your vehicle.
- Your rights are against whoever you bought the vehicle through (a dealership or finance provider). If your claim is rejected, you may be able to complain to the Motor Ombudsman or financial ombudsman. If that doesn't work, consider court action after seeking professional legal advice.
This article first appeared in the March issue of Which? Magazine.
