The latest TUV report in Germany, a statistical analysis of tens of millions of technical checks, identifies the vehicles with the most and the fewest defects or problems.
The average age of vehicles in Germany is increasing, as many drivers can no longer afford to switch to new or used cars due to high prices. Moreover, maintenance is also affected by the economic crisis. However, for many countries, the average age of the German car fleet, which is just over ten years old, is still a luxury.
For the first time, electric vehicles are included enough in technical inspections to produce statistical results. In the age group up to three years, ten fully electric models out of a total of 111 models are included in the annual statistics.
For vehicles four to five years old, six of the 113 models were electric. These data show that electric vehicles are neither safer nor technically more unsafe compared to those with internal combustion engines.
The Tesla Model 3 ranked last in the overall ranking. In the first technical inspection, 14.2 percent of vehicles had significant defects, while in the second inspection (for vehicles four to five years old) this figure increased to 19.7 percent. On the other hand, the Volkswagen e-Golf was rated as the best.
The Model 3 received a low rating not only because of the frequent malfunctions in the low beams, but also because of the infrequent maintenance intervals. This is positive for costs, but not for the technical stability of the vehicle.
Also, there are some specific drawbacks for electric vehicles, such as premature wear of the suspension system due to the large mass of the vehicle. This problem affects the Tesla Model 3 more than other electric models.
Furthermore, the brakes lose performance if they are used infrequently, due to the energy recovery enabled by the electric motor. To prevent brake discs from rusting, TÜV recommends a simple solution: brake hard every now and then. Of course, you must do this without endangering other road users.
A mitigating factor that may partially explain the Tesla Model 3's poor results is its higher usage compared to other vehicles. After three years, a Model 3 has traveled an average of 53,000 kilometers, while the average for all vehicles of this age is 42 kilometers, and even less for other electric models. /Telegraph/
