Putting That Consumer Report's Electric Car Reliability Report in Context

December 5, 2023

In America, the majority of people have seen the shocking headlines. A headline in the Detroit Free Press reads, “Consumer Reports pummels electric vehicle reliability.” According to CBS News, “Electric vehicles have almost 80% more problems than gas-powered ones.” “EVs are noticeably less dependable than gas-powered vehicles,” scoffed Faux News. Oh my god. I considered taking a shotgun to the garage to end the life of my Model Y, but the deluge of bad press got to me.

But hold on. I made the decision to properly study what Consumer Reports had to say before making such a bold move. The headline from November 29, 2023 is as follows: “Electric Cars Are Not as Reliable as Conventional Vehicles.” According to CR’s most recent poll, hybrids are the most dependable automobiles, while plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are the least dependable; Tesla’s Model Y is now highly recommended.

Oh, my goodness, maybe there’s more to this story than meets the eye, if Mode Y is advised? Thus, in my quest for journalism greatness, I did what the Detroit Free Press, CBS News, and Faux News did not thought necessary: I read the report for myself. This is what Consumer Reports stated in actuality.

Auto blog made the decision to investigate the numbers. According to the report, Consumer Reports revised the questions regarding problem areas to reflect concerns unique to electrified and electric vehicles and revised its process for determining expected dependability ratings. The findings continue to validate common assumptions, such as the higher reliability of older cars and the superior dependability of sedans over SUVs and trucks.

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