EV disputes brought by consumers to TMO in Q4 2024 / FY 2024

EV disputes brought by consumers to The Motor Ombudsman in Q4 2024 / FY 2024 

Overview of electric vehicle (EV) disputes brought to The Motor Ombudsman relative to UK new car registrations and the car parc

Before presenting the profile and volume of electric vehicle (EV) disputes received by The Motor Ombudsman from consumers during the previous quarter, it is important to understand the trend of EV disputes in relation to both EV and non-EV new car registrations (i.e. petrol, diesel and hybrid models), and the overall EV and non-EV parc.

When looking at the proportion of disputes received by The Motor Ombudsman versus new registrations on an annual basis for electric vehicles and non-electric models (i.e. petrol diesel and hybrid), as shown in Tables 1 and 2, it is possible to conclude that EVs generate far fewer complaints per vehicle than non-EV equivalents. For example, based on the latest 2024 data, EVs were generating one dispute for every 195 cars, compared to one in every 41 vehicles for a petrol, diesel, or hybrid variant.

A similar picture is also seen when comparing the volume of EV disputes to the combined car parc, with the two-year combined parc equating to one complaint in every 202 cars, extending to one in every 283 for the four-year combined parc. In contrast, for ICE and hybrid equivalent models, this rises to one dispute in every 51 cars for the two-year combined parc, and one in every 61 vehicles for the four-year combined parc, highlighting the variation between the powertrains.

Overview of EV disputes received in 2024

In 2024, The Motor Ombudsman saw the highest ever annual total of electric vehicle disputes submitted to the body’s dispute resolution service, recording 1,951 submissions during the 12-month period. This is a 60% rise versus the year before (1,222), reflective of the growing battery electric car parc and EV new car registrations in the UK during the past 12 months (as seen in the table below).

Overview of EV disputes received in Q4 2024

Consumers brought a total of 446 battery electric vehicle (EV) complaints to The Motor Ombudsman (TMO) in the final three months of the year (versus 371 for the same period in 2023). It was also the lowest quarterly tally of 2024, which is expected, given that the number of disputes raised tends to tail off slightly in December due to the festive period.

When looking at the main issues encountered by consumers with an EV during the fourth quarter of 2024, they are as follows:

1. Customer service and purchase issues (35%)

Customer service issues at the time of purchase, or during ownership, continued to account for the majority of disputes raised by consumers during the final quarter of 2024 (at just over a third), mirroring the all-year-round trend. Concerns voiced by vehicle owners, included cars being handed over in a sub-standard condition at the point of sale or with missing specification and service histories, and individuals not being informed about pre-existing faults, or indeed them remaining unrectified prior to the point of delivery. In addition, deposit payment and cancellation terms not being clearly explained during the sales process, were also problems encountered by customers with retailers.

2. Chassis and motor issues (18%)

The chassis and motor area of a vehicle made up the second largest proportion of EV-derived complaints in Q4, at just under a fifth of disputes. Individuals expressed dissatisfaction in relation to concerns, such as rattles and noises emanating from the suspension, squeaking brakes, and alloy wheels suffering from corrosion. Furthermore, premature steering rack failures, and electric drive motors ceasing to work, were also key drivers of disputes between October and December 2024.

3. Electrical and software issues (14%)

The electrical infrastructure of an electric vehicle is critical, and drove just over a tenth of disputes during the fourth quarter. Consumers reported problems, such as driver assist systems disabling, power distribution units failing, and high voltage faults causing cars to shut down, preventing usage. When it came to software, over-the-air updates also caused vehicles to become unresponsive, whilst owners also had difficulty with smartphone apps not activating vehicle systems.

4. Battery issues (10%)

With batteries being the principal power source of an EV, this can cause frustration and drive consumer disputes when they are not functioning correctly. Electric vehicle owners reported periodic failures of 12V batteries, faulty modules, traction batteries stopping working, as well as batteries draining during periods of colder weather.

5. Interior and cabin systems issues issues (8%)

At just under 10% of EV disputes, the fifth largest area of concern in the final quarter of 2024 was the cabin area of a vehicle, and associated internal systems and fixtures. Problems highlighted by car owners, were namely, steering wheels being subject to peeling lacquer, and seizing when on the road, defective seat stitching and collapsing foam, and vehicle infotainment systems, as well as screens, locking and inhibiting functionality.

6. Exterior issues (7%)

The outside of an EV was neither spared from concerns, although complaints were slightly lower than those reported in the former category, at 7%. When it came to the bodywork, customers witnessed peeling and delaminating paint on car roofs, evidence of corrosion around charging ports, and bonding failures on windscreens. Moreover, parking cameras and windscreen wipers equally became inoperative, hindering visibility.

7. Charging issues (4%)

When charging systems do not work to their full potential, this may promote an element of inconvenience for EV owners. Not being able to replenish batteries was caused by factors, such as jammed charging flaps, an inability to top-up at public charging points, intermittent errors, and vehicles not being able charge to full capacity.

8. Range issues (4%)

Rising from 2% in Q3, the Motor Ombudsman tends to see a slight rise in range-related complaints during periods of colder weather, as autumn gives way to winter. This often means that climate control systems are demanding increased power from batteries, therefore decreasing overall range per full charge when compared to advertised figures, promoting a feeling of mis-selling by consumers, especially if this was not highlighted at the point of sale.

Average consumer claim value

For consumers who stated a monetary value to resolve their complaint with a business, the average stood at £7,417 for Q4 2024, down 41% from the figure of £12,615 seen for the same period in 2023.

 

To view and download the infographic below as a PDF, please click here.

 

 

To view and download The Motor Ombudsman’s thought leadership paper on electric vehicle disputes as a PDF, please click here.