Nissan Leaf ‘most reliable EV’

The Nissan Leaf has been named the most reliable EV in a study carried out by one of Britain’s best-known warranty companies.

The research by Warrantywise looked at the frequency of repairs, common faults, cost of repair and age at the time of repair.

Similar internal combustion engine (ICE) models were also evaluated, with the Leaf finishing seventh overall*.

“No matter what technology powers a car, reliability is key and it is pleasing to see the Leaf receive independent verification for its dependability,” Nissan Motor GB managing director Andrew Humberstone says.

‘‘Not only is the Leaf a brilliant choice as a new car but it’s a vehicle that truly stands the test of time and delivers many years of trouble-free, low-cost and emission-free motoring.’’

The Warrantywise recognition for the Leaf comes shortly after the car notched up a hat-trick of official recognitions for used examples of the popular EV.

The 40kWh model launched in 2018 was named Used Electric Car of the Year in the What Car? Used Car of the Year Awards 2021, while the first-generation model – on sale from 2011-2017 – won its price point (up to 13,000 pounds) in the same category.

Consumer champion Which? Magazine also named the first-generation Leaf a “Best Buy” for 2020 in its annual reliability survey.

“Scepticism surrounding the reliability and powertrain longevity of EV technology – particularly the ability of the batteries to consistently hold full charging capacity – has been a concern in the early uptake of plug-in electric vehicles,” Warrantywise chief executive Lawrence Whittaker says.

“It’s really encouraging to see that the major EV components, such as the powertrain, outperform petrol and diesel counterparts after the manufacturer’s warranty expires.

“Overall numbers of repairs and the severity and complexity of them are encouragingly low for anyone eyeing up a secondhand EV bargain.”

*Warrantywise does not release data for cars unless it has a minimum of 100 vehicles as a sample amount. This data relates to repairs between 01/01/2018 and 30/04/2020 and does not represent the reliability of new vehicles as the cars Warrantywise has on cover are all over three years old.