Electric vehicles

[Terry - Somerset]

... all BMW, Audi and my current Merc for the same quality reasons as you ...

In reliability tables now they tend do do badly.

1. Subaru 90.66%
2. Tesla 90.55%
3. Kia 89.35%
4. Porsche 89.16%
5. Citroen 88.22%
6. Peugeot 88.03%
7. Mazda 88.01%
8. Toyota 87.74%
9. Jaguar 87.72%
10. Land Rover 87.63%
11. Honda 87.56%
12. Lexus 87.17%
13. Alfa Romeo 86.86%
14. BMW 86.69%
15. Nissan 86.54%
16. Volvo 86.48%
17. Hyundai 86.36%
18. Cupra 86.28%
19. Suzuki 86.26%
20. MINI 86.26%
21. Mitsubishi 86.09%
22. Dacia 86.01%
23. Skoda 86.00%
24. SEAT 85.84%
25. Mercedes 85.55%
26. Vauxhall 85.50%
27. Audi 85.43%
28. Renault 85.30%
29. Volkswagen 84.80%
30. Ford 84.58%
31. Fiat 84.13%
32. MG 82.01%

It is not clear what the percentages relate to.

However it demonstrates that even the least reliable of cars are very close to the most reliable.

In position 5 - Citroen - 88%. In position 28 - Renault - 85%..

Conclusion - any small differences in reliability are probably inconsequential compared to the other considerations in car purchase - eg: price, performance, gizmos, distance to dealer etc.

 

[Ozi]

Battery swapping would increase the cost of EV's due to the additional equipment needed. The practicalities of it dont add up. You cant simply slide in and out a battery pack of these weights without some serious engineering in both the car and the site equipment. The problems associated with connecting and disconnecting the high voltage/high current cables would be a nightmare. The battery condition could also be a very major factor, your 99% health battery gets swapped out and one with only 70% health due to abuse gets loaded = not a happy bunny. Many EV's have the battery as an integral part of the structure EG Tesla, VW etc.


It wont happen.

Most PHEV batteries also connect to the engine cooling system just to add to the complexity. I used to think that a standardized battery swapped at filling stations was the best way forward, with larger vehicles taking multiple units, there would be lots of advantages - till I worked on the cars - it's not.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

In 2006 I went to buy a car. I looked at a Renault Scenic and a Skoda Octavia, and decided to buy the Scenic as the design suited us better. A week later I read a reliability table by chance - the Skoda was 5th out of 157, the Scenic 151st. The Scenic was a brilliant design, but gave us endless automatic gearbox problem.

 

[johnb80]

Most PHEV batteries also connect to the engine cooling system just to add to the complexity.

I'd have to disagree with you on this one, theyre connected into climate control generally either with refrigerant directly or by water / antifreeze via a heat exchanger. My i3 has refrigerant lines directly into the battery and the AC compressor runs when rapid charging.

I used to think that a standardized battery swapped at filling stations was the best way forward, with larger vehicles taking multiple units, there would be lots of advantages - till I worked on the cars - it's not.

Agreed

 

[Noel]

... all BMW, Audi and my current Merc for the same quality reasons as you ...

In reliability tables now they tend do do badly.

1. Subaru 90.66%
2. Tesla 90.55%
3. Kia 89.35%
4. Porsche 89.16%
5. Citroen 88.22%
6. Peugeot 88.03%
7. Mazda 88.01%
8. Toyota 87.74%
9. Jaguar 87.72%
10. Land Rover 87.63%
11. Honda 87.56%
12. Lexus 87.17%
13. Alfa Romeo 86.86%
14. BMW 86.69%
15. Nissan 86.54%
16. Volvo 86.48%
17. Hyundai 86.36%
18. Cupra 86.28%
19. Suzuki 86.26%
20. MINI 86.26%
21. Mitsubishi 86.09%
22. Dacia 86.01%
23. Skoda 86.00%
24. SEAT 85.84%
25. Mercedes 85.55%
26. Vauxhall 85.50%
27. Audi 85.43%
28. Renault 85.30%
29. Volkswagen 84.80%
30. Ford 84.58%
31. Fiat 84.13%
32. MG 82.01%

Except, as mentioned, that's not a reliability chart, it's a satisfaction chart. Owners were asked over 36 odd categories. Reliability could come 10th or 2nd but it would be cancelled out by a positive response to a majority of the other 35 questions.

June 2024 based solely on reliability:

Lexus
Toyota
Mini
Suzuki
Mitsubishi
Honda
Hyundai
Kia
Volvo
Tesla

Subaru? Lovely cars but usual electrical issues.

 

[MikeJhn]

China is the largest producer of green energy in the world.

Totally offset by the 1200 coal fired power stations, if not put into a negative.