Used EV demand is heating up as electric vehicle sales reach records while new EV sales slide, but many buyers still view high mileage as a warning sign. A new analysis of 47.4 million UK MOT tests suggests that approach may be outdated, with higher-mileage EVs recording lower failure rates than comparable gas and diesel cars.
What the EV Mileage Data Shows
The analysis was commissioned by the BVRLA, a UK vehicle rental and leasing trade group, and conducted by independent research organization New AutoMotive. It examined results from Britain’s MOT, the mandatory annual roadworthiness inspection.
At lower mileage, the difference between EVs and gas-powered cars was minimal. Between 20,000 and 40,000 miles, 12 percent of EVs failed compared with 11.7 percent of gas cars.
From around 60,000 miles, however, EV failure rates flattened at about 16 percent, while gas and diesel vehicles continued to see rising failure rates.
Among cars aged three to eight with between 90,000 and 120,000 miles, 16.5 percent of EVs failed compared with 22.1 percent of gas cars. That means EVs failed roughly 25 percent less often in that mileage range.
Beyond 120,000 miles, the failure rates were 16 percent for EVs versus 23.5 percent for gas cars. The findings also align with real-world outliers, including a Tesla Model 3 that reached 380,000 miles on its original battery.
Where Used EVs Still Have Problems
The findings do not mean EVs outperform gas cars in every category. EVs recorded about 1.8 times as many tire defects as gas cars, particularly among early models built on combustion-car platforms.
Older EVs with relatively low mileage also showed more brake problems. Researchers linked those issues to corrosion caused by friction brakes going unused because of regenerative braking.
Suspension performance, an area sometimes associated with the additional weight of EVs, showed a different result. At 60,000 to 90,000 miles, EVs recorded 4.7 suspension defects per 100 tests, compared with 6.1 for gas cars.
The MOT data also has an important limitation: the inspection does not check battery capacity. As a result, battery health can still vary widely between different EV models.
What the Findings Mean for U.S. EV Buyers
The United States does not have a national equivalent of Britain’s MOT. Vehicle inspection requirements vary by state, and many states do not require periodic safety inspections, meaning the same analysis cannot be conducted across American vehicles.
A failed inspection also does not necessarily mean a vehicle has broken down. Still, the findings point to a practical consideration for U.S. buyers: mileage alone may not provide a complete picture of a used EV’s condition.
Used EVs can offer lower total ownership costs than gas cars when the battery remains healthy, while most carry 8-year/100,000-mile battery warranties. The window is also narrowing as used EV prices climb again alongside gas prices.
For buyers considering a high-mileage used EV, the analysis suggests treating mileage as one factor rather than an automatic dealbreaker. For vehicles with more than 100,000 miles, a battery health report can provide additional information about the condition of the battery.
