Accident repairs more expensive for electric cars, German study finds

BERLIN: Electric vehicles (EVs) might cheaper to maintain, but repair costs after an accident are considerably more expensive than for models with a combustion engine, according to a report by an association of German insurers.

EV repair claims are accelerating as the number of EVs on the road rises, yet the vehicles are still rare enough to prevent the repair industry from gaining easy access to an adequate supply of parts.

This pushes the cost of a repair higher to between 25 and 30%, according to the German Insurance Association (GDV).

The costs often outweigh the maintenance savings of EVs, which unlike ICEs do not have exhaust, ignition or fuel injection systems that must be regularly monitored or replaced.

The GDV said the expensive batteries of electric cars push repair bills higher. Improper handling by emergency services after an accident or during repairs by garages is often responsible.

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Even without an acute risk of fire, EVs involved in the accident are often put in extinguishing containers, which destroys the batteries completely.

It also appears that many garages often replace the entire battery pack after an accident when a much cheaper repair of individual cells would suffice. A lack of qualified labour authorised to work on electric cars also causes problems.

The long downtimes (time spent off the road for repairs) of accident vehicles, which lead to high costs for replacement vehicles, also point to "a lack of electric car expertise at garages," said the report.

There was still a lack of reliable diagnostic data for determining the extent of damage and subsequent repairs, said the GDV. It recommended that workshops, towing companies and fire brigades should be thoroughly trained in the safe and cost-effective handling of damaged batteries.