Repair time for electric cars is longer than combustion

This is one of the main conclusions by a study regarding the management of over 100.000 electric vehicle crashes, carried out by Activate Group in the United Kingdom. The repair time for this type of vehicle is 1,5 days longer than that of diesel or gasoline, however, the accident rate of electric vehicles is smaller than that of combustion vehicles. And, in addition to needing more days to complete the repair, the electric vehicle repairs have a higher average cost. This is at least the case for the analyzed vehicles, which were up to two years old.

The data from the study shows that electric vehicles need longer to be repaired and at a higher cost. First of all, in order to work safely, garage/shop technicians need to isolate the high voltage battery and connect it again afterwards, which means more hours of work. Also, most electric vehicles are really new, equipped with more valuable and expensive parts. These parts come with availability and delivery timelines that are not as convenient as with combustion vehicles.

However, the authors of the study consider that, with time, and with improved equipment and training of the repair technicians, some of the factors that currently increase the cost of repairing could be minimized.

In the United Kingdom, the sales of hybrid and electric vehicles represented 27% of the total in 2021, 10% more than the previous year. The increase for pure electric cars was 76%. According to this study 50% of registrations will be electric vehicles in 2025, reaching 88% in 2028 and 97% in 2030. In spite of this evolution, they also warn that electric vehicles represent a small portion of the total.