Customer service issues and problems at the point of sale – rather than vehicle issues – were the main reasons electric car buyers complained to authorities last year.
That's according to the Motor Ombudsman, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute approved body that is dedicated to resolving customer complaints in the automotive industry.
It analysed all the complaints it received about electric vehicle purchases last year. The bulk of those – 33% – put forward related to customer service, including drivers reporting that they had been overcharged for a new car after agreeing a price. Other problems included registration issues on collection and not having home chargers installed on time.
The Motor Ombudsman also received complaints regarding specific parts of electric cars.
A total of 13% of difficulties related to vehicle software problems with drivers reporting long delays for service centres to fix those issues. Others highlighted that their car had missing applications and out-of-date sat nav maps.
Some 12% of complaints concerned vehicle charging with EV owners highlighting problems with their car not charging to full capacity, while others suffered with issues relating to the battery charging flap.
11% of the issues raised were linked to issues with the vehicle's exterior where bodywork and paint defects were found on delivery, while other EV consumers complained about faulty door locks.
Chassis and motor issues were responsible for 9% of complaints. Some EV owners said their car would stall as a result of motor failures, with others highlighting issues with brakes and suspension.
Another 9% of complaints referred to issues inside the car with EV owners reporting problems with upgraded sound systems, missing equipment and inaccurate battery charge readings.
Issues relating to batteries and range delivered the smallest proportion of EV complaints. The Motor Ombudsman reported only 7% of complaints concerned EV battery issues, while just 6% of protests related to an electric cars range.
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