Electric car myths, checked against the data

There are plenty of ideas going around about electric cars, some true, others outdated or simply wrong. We took the most common ones and compared them with the data.

“The battery has to be replaced after a few years”

False, in most cases. Recurrent’s data on about 15,000 EVs shows that only around 1.5% of batteries were replaced because of a fault, outside recalls. Batteries lose capacity gradually rather than failing suddenly, and most come with an 8-year or 160,000 km warranty. Details in the benefits of a used EV.

“EVs catch fire more often”

False. In Sweden, the civil contingencies agency (MSB) recorded about 23 fires among roughly 611,000 electric cars in 2022, against around 3,400 among 4.4 million petrol and diesel cars. Per car, fuel-powered vehicles caught fire about 20 times more often. What is true is that a battery fire, when it happens, is harder to put out. More in electric car safety.

“They don’t work in winter”

Partly true. Range drops in the cold, because of heating and a cold battery. In winter tests by the Norwegian motoring club NAF, the average loss was about 20%, with big differences between models. Cars with a heat pump cope better. What you can do is in how to improve range.

“They pollute more than a petrol car because of the battery”

False over the full life cycle. Making the battery produces more emissions, but the gap is recovered during use. The 2021 ICCT study found 66–69% lower lifetime emissions in Europe. See environmental impact.

“You can’t wash it or drive in the rain”

False. The battery and high-voltage components are sealed and insulated. You can wash the car, including in automatic car washes; many models even have a dedicated mode for it. Just avoid deep water, as with any car.

“There is nowhere to charge”

It depends where you live and how you drive. If you can charge at home or at work, the public network only matters for long trips. If not, an EV can be inconvenient. See where you can charge.