TÜV Report 2026: Reliability and Performance of Electric Vehicles

The TÜV-Report 2026 provides an authoritative assessment of used car reliability in Germany, analyzing over 9.5 million technical inspections conducted between 2024 and 2025. This latest edition marks a milestone by offering comprehensive data on electric vehicles, revealing that they generally match or exceed the dependability of traditional combustion engines. While models like the Audi Q4 e-tron and Fiat 500e earned top marks for their low defect rates, the report identifies specific weaknesses in Tesla models regarding brakes and suspension systems. Despite an overall slight increase in vehicle failures due to aging fleets and neglected maintenance, the study highlights that battery and motor longevity remain strong across the board. Ultimately, these findings suggest that the weight of electric batteries places unique stress on chassis components, yet the technological maturity of zero-emission cars is successfully bolstering consumer confidence in the pre-owned market.