Volkswagen's sales boss says electric cars are 'more reliable than petrol cars'. But a new study shows exactly the opposite about Germans' cars.
A new study questions the reliability of electric cars. The study, conducted by the American consumer organization Consumer Reports, placed the ID.4 among the least reliable electric cars on the market.
Yet Martin Sander, Volkswagen's new sales manager, insists that electric cars are more reliable than diesel and gasoline cars, he says in an interview with Automotive News.
"First, let's talk about the facts. For example, electric cars are much more reliable than gasoline and diesel cars."
Consumer Reports examined 300,000 cars and concluded that electric cars generally had 42 percent more problems than cars with internal combustion engines.
Volkswagen's cars, including the ID.4, were at the bottom of the rankings. Boosted has published the results of the study. Read more about it here .
However, the study also showed an improvement compared to 2023, when electric cars had 79 percent more problems. Steven Elek, automotive analyst at Consumer Reports, explained:
"Because the technology is still relatively new, automakers are still working to resolve issues in their powertrains and platforms," the study states.
But that's not entirely true either. Although electric cars have only made a comeback in the last two decades, the technology is far from new. For example , Skoda's first electric car was a beer truck in 1939.
The results of the survey cast doubt on Sanders' optimistic view of electric cars. He said in the interview that he expects electric cars to account for 25 percent of Volkswagen's sales in Europe this year.
Sander also believes that sales of electric cars will increase. And he points out that the ID.7 already has more orders than the Passat.
To convince doubters of the benefits of electric cars, Sander encourages people to try an electric car for a day:
– So see how simple charging is and how fast charging can be.
Despite Sanders' enthusiasm, the Consumer Reports study shows that there are still challenges with the reliability of electric cars, especially the Volkswagen ID.4.
Consumers should be aware of these results when considering buying a car. It may be a good idea to research different models and brands before making a decision and possibly consider visiting a repair shop for a professional inspection of the vehicle. Cars' response to a second opinion.
