Repairing an electric car is more expensive and time consuming than a petrol or diesel equivalent – that’s the verdict from fleet accident management firm, AX, following analysis of more than 40,000 incidents across the UK.
AX says that the average repair cost for an EV following a non-fault crash is £6,363, which is roughly a fifth more (19.2 per cent) than the typical £5,338 cost to fix an internal combustion (ICE) vehicle. Furthermore, while the average repair time for an ICE car is 23 days, an EV is usually off the road for 25 days, due to more time-intensive repairs.
The firm’s chief commercial officer, Scott Hamilton-Cooper, explained: “While the gap between EV and ICE repairs is narrowing as repairers gain experience and technology improves, our AX Repair Index shows that electric vehicles still place a greater overall burden on the repair process. This is partly due to more costly EV parts and because they usually require calibration even for small repairs.”
The difference in repair cost and complexity is why many electric cars are burdened with higher insurance group ratings than their petrol equivalents; according to price comparison site MoneySuperMarket, the average comprehensive car insurance premium is 13 per cent higher for EVs than it is for petrol models. This is compounded by the fact that many EVs produce more power than petrol and diesel rivals and are thus deemed more of a risk to insurers.
To help keep repair and insurance costs down, Thatham Research published a new battery development blueprint earlier this year which it says would reduce the number of “unnecessary” write-offs. The automotive research institute says modular cell construction, standardised diagnostic systems and the relocation of critical systems to less vulnerable areas of the car could help make EVs more repairable.
Yet a continuing problem is the lack of sufficient repair knowledge and qualifications within the industry; the Institute for the Motor Industry estimates that there could be a shortfall of over 40,000 TechSafe-qualified technicians by 2035. Such a scenario would make securing an EV repair more difficult and potentially more expensive.
“What’s important is that the industry continues investing in skills, equipment and repair capability,” Hamilton-Cooper said. “We have worked closely with our partners and 99 per cent of our repair network is now accredited to work on electric vehicles, ensuring drivers receive the same high standards of service regardless of powertrain type.”
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