New data has revealed which electric cars on the UK market are the most reliable, with most of the world’s most popular brands making the top 10 ranking.
The Nissan Leaf has been crowned as the most reliable used electric car on the market, with a claim rate of just 1.52 per cent.
Research found that the average repair cost of the Nissan Leaf was just £818, with drivers paying to repair lane assist cameras, shock absorbers and steering wheel control switches most commonly.
The data collated 1,000 real-world repair claims between January and December 2025 in a bid to show motorists how reliable electric vehicles can be.
More drivers than ever are planning to invest in an electric vehicle once they get rid of their older petrol and diesel models ahead of the 2030 ban on new internal combustion engine vehicles.
Commenting on the data, James Taylor, managing director of Nissan GB, said the claims data proved that the brand had a “consistently strong performance”.
He added: “For customers new to this technology and perhaps considering an electric vehicle purchase for the first time, knowing it is going to be reliable is very reassuring.
“We know our customers love Leaf, so it’s great to see this reflected in this reliability survey too.”
The Nissan Leaf was ranked as the most reliable used electric car
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NISSAN
The Nissan Leaf was the first mass-market electric vehicle when it launched in 2011, with the Japanese brand starting production of the model in Sunderland just two years later.
Nissan is now manufacturing the new third-generation Leaf at its Sunderland facility, featuring a staggering 386 miles of electric battery range.
Drivers can also save £3,750 off the price of the new Leaf through the Government’s Electric Car Grant, further helping motorists make the transition to zero emission motoring.
The Audi e-tron placed in second place with a claim rate of 3.23 per cent, although the average claim cost was significantly less than the Leaf at just £570.18.
Production of the new Nissan Leaf started in Sunderland at the end of 2025
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NISSANThe e-tron had one of the lowest average repair costs in the study, with the most common faults being the central locking solenoids (£625), wheel bearings (£267) and anti-roll bar links (£135).
The anti-roll bar link was found to be the most common EV warranty claim, making up almost one in 10 claims, at an average cost of £276.12.
Reacting to the data, Martin Binnee, operations director of Warranty Solutions Group, said: “While some EVs are proving extremely reliable, when faults do occur the cost of repair can be significant – particularly for premium models and vehicles with advanced electrical and thermal systems.
“Setting realistic expectations around maintenance and repair costs will be key to supporting long-term confidence in the electric vehicle market.”
The Volkswagen ID.4 had the cheapest average claim cost at just £180
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VOLKSWAGENThe most reliable electric cars based on claims rate
- Nissan Leaf – 1.52 per cent
- Audi e-tron – 3.23 per cent
- Vauxhall Corsa Electric – 4.76 per cent
- Ford Mustang Mach-e – 5.25 per cent
- Tesla Model 3 – six per cent
- Mercedes EQA – 6.67 per cent
- Hyundai Ioniq – 7.14 per cent
- Jaguar I-Pace – 7.27 per cent
- Volvo XC40 – 8.33 per cent
- BMW iX3 – 9.52 per cent
