Buying a car is faff enough without having to work out whether everything you’ve read about it is nonsense. Electric cars are particularly guilty of this – often, it means sorting through EV myths/claims about batteries dying after a few years, winter journeys ending on the hard shoulder, and vehicles spontaneously bursting into flames. It’s a wonder we haven’t gone back to horses, honestly.
Look, there are perfectly sensible reasons why an EV might not suit you yet – charging access, cost, and distances all absolutely matter. But some of the most persistent objections need a closer look – particularly when an actual genuine drawback gets stretched into a reason to dismiss the whole lot.
For the record, I have no horse in this race (though I’ll admit it is odd that I’ve mentioned horses twice now). I’m currently driving a Toyota C-HR hybrid. I’d like an EV one day, though, so it’s time to sort through some disinformation. Starting with…
“They catch fire easily”
A car that’s on fire, is alarming. No arguments there. But it also tells you very little about how likely another car, like an EV, is to catch fire.
Take the UK’s Department for Transport, which states that there’s no evidence that EV fires are more likely than fires in petrol or diesel vehicles – it acknowledges limited UK data, while noting that some international studies indicate a lower likelihood for EVs.
Battery fires do present particular problems, though. Government recovery guidance explains that an unstable battery can enter thermal runaway – an uncontrolled chemical reaction that causes overheating. Extinguished battery fires can also reignite, requiring specialist precautions. In short, check out the aptly named evfiresafe.com advice to swot up on what to do should the worst ever happen. It’s supported by the Australian government’s Department of Defence, if you needed extra reassurance.
Elsewhere, reports of e-bike and e-scooter fires need separating out, too. There are always risks from faulty batteries, conversion kits, and unsuitable chargers. Those fires can be serious when they occur, but they aren’t evidence of how often electric cars catch fire.
“The battery will need replacing in a few years”
The prospect of replacing an enormous battery is understandably off-putting, especially when a standard Philips screwdriver and pack of AAAs won’t cut it. Fortunately, losing some range as a car ages doesn’t automatically mean the cells are ready for the bin.
In Which?’s 2025 car survey, 4444 EV owners who had bought their cars new reported how much range remained. Cars registered in 2018–19 retained an average of 94 per cent of their original range. These were owners’ estimates, rather than lab battery measurements, but they hardly suggest an inevitable replacement after a few years.
For illustration, a 6 per cent reduction would take a car from 250 miles to 235 miles under equivalent conditions. You’d want to know about that when buying used, but it could still comfortably cover your normal journeys. Check the individual car’s battery health and remaining warranty, rather than assuming every ageing EV needs a new pack.
“Making the battery cancels out the environmental benefits”
Yes, of course, making an electric car has an environmental cost, particularly when it comes to the raw materials and energy needed to produce its battery. But the same goes for petrol and diesel cars, too. Their materials, components, and assembly also have to be counted. EV manufacturing does generally produces more greenhouse gas emissions because of the batteries though, so we shouldn’t pretend the starting points are identical.
But the truly fair comparison should follow both cars through their lifespans, including production, electricity generation or fuel extraction and refining, driving, and eventual disposal or recycling. The US Environmental Protection Agency explains that an EV’s lifetime greenhouse gas emissions are typically lower than a petrol car’s, even after manufacturing is included. See? It’s all about perspective.
The size of that advantage, by the way, depends on the vehicles and electricity supply. It also doesn’t make mining for things like battery components or other raw materials harmless. Lower lifetime carbon emissions are a meaningful benefit, then – not a claim that production has no environmental consequences.
“They’re useless in winter”
Okay, cold weather really does reduce EV range. But the gigantic leap from that to “electric cars don’t work in winter” is where the argument falls apart.
The 2026 Norwegian El Prix test – the world’s largest independent real-world EV range and charging test – put 24 models through temperatures down to −32°C. Range averaged 38 per cent below the official WLTP laboratory figures. That doesn’t sound great, though the FIA’s account still reports that the vehicles remained reliable and kept their occupants warm, with few technical issues.
That’s an extreme test, to be fair, rather than a forecast for every chilly British commute. But it does help show why planning a winter trip around the salesperson’s maximum range is optimistic. Look for cold-weather tests of the model you’re considering, and definitely leave room in the schedule for charging stops. You definitely shouldn’t plan to discover your EV’s winter range with the family already in the car.
“You need a driveway to own one”
A driveway and home charger make EV ownership easier, sure, but they aren’t compulsory. Take the Energy Saving Trust, which lists alternatives including on-street charging, workplace chargers, and charging at destinations like shopping centres.
Whether those options suit you is another matter. A guaranteed charger where you already park for several hours could fit neatly into your routine. But having to make a special trip and wait for a busy rapid charger every few days is far less appealing. Deal-breaking, some might say.
Public charging is generally more expensive than charging at home, especially at rapid chargers. Before buying, check the actual prices, parking restrictions, and availability at the places you’d use. A nearby charging point is only useful if you can reliably use it, after all.
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