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People are always touting the "reliability" of electric cars, but that argument mostly falls flat if you're comparing it to any car built in the last 20 years.
by fps 11y ago
People are always touting the "reliability" of electric cars, but that argument mostly falls flat if you're comparing it to any car built in the last 20 years. Internal combustion engines are incredibly reliable. They require basically no maintenance other than oil changes every 5K to 7K miles, and they'll run for 500K miles with no problems.
If you're having any sort of engine failure in an internal combustion car built this century, someone is being malicious and trying to break your car.
Tesla, on the other hand, has had to recall a percentage of their electric motors because they were ripping themselves apart after 10K miles.
All the other parts of the car - the parts that actually still fail on modern vehicles - suspension, electronics, climate control, brakes, drive train, etc. are more complicated in a Tesla than in a regular car. The tesla has an electronically adjustable suspension, remotely upgradable electronics, climate control that doesn't get to run off of excess engine heat and belt driven compressors, two drivetrains (two transmissions and differentials), and regenerative braking. These systems are more complex than normal and only time will tell if they're more reliable than their legacy auto industry equivalents, but my feeling is they won't be.
- jazzyk 11y agoGood points, though BMW, specifically, hasn't had the greatest reliability record. Which is pretty appalling for an upscale brand (I am giving the Tesla a pass for now, since its tech is new and different). That's why Lexus (reliability + interiors) is the bees knees. :-)
- Eiriksmal 11y agoMichael Karesh sort of calls out Tesla for producing such a problematic vehicle in today's TrueDelta email update. After the 2015 Lincoln MKC, it's the worst new car on the survey out of dozens of models. Repair rates are hovering at 90 repairs per 100 cars for all Model Ss, 2013 - today. 2014's is, ironically, 102 repairs per 100 cars. Compare that to repair rates of 30/100 being average (Minis) for new cars and 1-3/100 being good (Toyotas and their ilk). http://www.truedelta.com/Tesla-Model-S/reliability-1095 http://www.truedelta.com/Tesla-Model-S/reliability-1095
- limeyx 11y agoI've yet to see most ICE's get 500K miles w/out - O2 sensors failing - Expensive oil leaks - Lots of belts need replacing - Head gasket need replacing (pretty expensive) Sure a 1980s Merc Diesel might make 500K and the ICE itself might last that long but the surrounding components are not cheap to maintain ....