Worried about your EV running out of charge? You might not need to be. The rate of electric cars running out of battery has hit an all-time low, nearly matching the tiny percentage of petrol and diesel cars that run out of fuel.
The AA reports that only 1.4% of their callouts in June were due to EVs running out of charge. This is down from 1.6% in June 2023, 2.8% in 2021, and a high of 8% in 2015. In comparison, just 1% of callouts are for petrol or diesel cars running out of fuel.
This improvement is due to better EV battery technology and more reliable and available chargers. Despite attending up to 8,000 breakdowns daily, the AA now deals with just five or six out-of-charge EVs per day. Often, these cars aren't even completely out of charge but are low enough to make their owners anxious about reaching the next charging station.
Edmund King, AA’s president, noted “In the last eight years the proportion of EVs running out of charge has dropped by about 80%”.
“We understand why many drivers have been hesitant about switching to EVs as it is a massive change, but it is important that their decisions are based on accurate information,” said King. “Once drivers have made the switch the vast majority will not look back.”
Interestingly, the top causes of breakdowns for EVs are similar to those for petrol and diesel cars, including issues with tyres, wheels, and the 12-volt battery.
