Car experts reveal three most reliable electric cars with Mini, Nissan and BMW on list

Motoring experts have revealed the three most reliable electric cars on the UK market with MINI, Nissan and BMW all top selections. WhatCar?’s latest Reliability Survey secured data on 34 pure electric models available to consumers before identifying the best picks.

The survey has become an important barometer of a vehicle’s condition and could be used by consumers before making a purchase. The survey asks car owners about the dependability of vehicles aged up to five years. This includes looking at what issues road users had experienced, the cost of any repairs, and how long the car was generally off the road before being fixed.

According to the latest survey the MINI Electric, produced between 2020 and 2024, was the number one vehicle,

The 145-mile range hatchback model scored an impressive reliability rating of 98.4% to emerge ahead of its competitors.

WhatCar? explained that only 5% of owners had reported problems with their vehicles at all.

These small issues were located in the motor electrics and with the volt battery although repairs were conducted free of charge.

Once problems emerged, owners reported being back behind the wheel of their car between one day and a week later.

The popular Nissan Leaf was next on WhatCar's Reliability Survey with the model praised for its robustness.

One of the most common EVs on the road scored a reliability rating of 95.6% with only 11% of models researched for the survey suffering some kind of glitch.

According to the analysis, 5% of owners suffered issues with their interior trim, 3% noticed brake trouble and 3% had faults with non-motor electrics.

However, repairs were still fairly cheap with owners paying no more than £1,000 with work usually completed in less than a week.

The BMW i4 was third on the list with a WhatCar? reliability score of 95.5%

The research shows that 27% of owners said their cars had undergone issues but most were minor.

WhatCar? Said drivers had reported problems with the bodywork and non-motor electrics with some issues around battery and charging.

However, in a major benefit, motorists reported all their repairs had been conducted free of charge.