ADAC: Electric cars breaking down less often than combustion models

Yahoo! News - Apr 16th, 2025

Germany's ADAC motoring organization has found that battery-electric cars are less prone to breakdowns compared to their combustion engine counterparts of the same age categories. For cars registered between 2020 and 2022, electric vehicles reported 4.2 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles, while combustion engines had 10.4. This data, based on a broader range of electric cars, aligns with previous findings. The study highlights that most malfunctions in both electric and combustion vehicles are due to faulty batteries or on-board electrics. The Tesla Model 3 emerged as the most reliable electric car, with only 0.5 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles.

The findings underscore the increasing reliability of electric cars despite stalled sales in Germany due to reduced buyer incentives and range anxiety. The ADAC attributes the lower breakdown rates of electric vehicles to their simpler design, with fewer moving parts and less waste heat produced compared to combustion engines. This results in less wear and tear. The motoring club recorded over 3.6 million call-outs in 2024, indicating an increase from the previous year. As electric car sales continue to grow, their enhanced reliability could play a crucial role in overcoming consumer hesitations and boosting adoption rates.

Germany Automotive Industry Battery Electric Cars Combustion Engines Adac Tesla Model 3 Vehicle Reliability

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

7.4

Fair Story

Consider it well-founded

The article provides a well-researched and timely examination of the reliability of electric vehicles compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. It effectively uses data from a reputable source, the ADAC, to support its claims, contributing to its high accuracy score. However, the article could benefit from greater transparency regarding the methodology and additional perspectives to enhance balance and engagement. While the topic is of significant public interest and timely, the presentation is straightforward and could be more engaging with interactive elements or diverse viewpoints. Overall, the article succeeds in informing readers about an important issue in the automotive industry, with room for improvement in transparency and engagement.

Accuracy

The story accurately reports the findings of Germany's ADAC motoring organization regarding the breakdown rates of electric vehicles (EVs) compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The claim that EVs had 4.2 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles while ICE vehicles had 10.4 is consistent with the ADAC's analysis. However, the story could benefit from more precise data on the specific models and breakdown causes. The mention of the Tesla Model 3 as the most reliable EV with a breakdown rate of 0.5 is a specific claim that requires further verification against broader datasets. Overall, the story aligns well with the facts, but some elements, like the exact reliability of specific EV models, may need more detailed verification.

Balance

The article presents a balanced view of the reliability of electric and combustion engine vehicles by providing comparative data. It mentions both the advantages of EVs in terms of fewer breakdowns and the challenges they face, such as stalled sales due to lack of incentives and range anxiety. However, the story leans slightly towards highlighting the benefits of EVs without equally exploring the potential downsides or challenges in their reliability, such as the noted issues with the 12-volt batteries. Including more perspectives on the challenges faced by EVs could enhance the balance.

Clarity

The article is generally clear and well-structured, presenting the information in a logical flow. It uses straightforward language to convey the findings of the ADAC study. However, some technical terms, such as '12-volt battery' and 'on-board electrics,' may require additional explanation for readers unfamiliar with automotive terminology. Overall, the article maintains a neutral tone and effectively communicates the key points, though it could be enhanced with more detailed explanations of technical aspects.

Source quality

The primary source of information is the ADAC, a reputable and well-respected motoring organization in Germany. This lends credibility to the findings reported in the article. The ADAC's extensive data collection on breakdowns provides a strong foundation for the claims made. However, the article could benefit from additional sources or expert opinions to corroborate the findings and provide a broader context, such as insights from automotive experts or industry analysts.

Transparency

The article provides some context regarding the data source, mentioning the ADAC's analysis and the number of breakdowns recorded. However, it lacks detailed explanations of the methodology used to gather and analyze the data. There is no discussion of potential conflicts of interest or biases in the data collection process. Greater transparency regarding the data collection methods and any limitations of the study would improve the article's transparency.