It is costlier to restore an EV—particularly a Tesla—after a collision, but additionally extra probably that the automotive can nonetheless be pushed whereas ready for repairs, in accordance with a brand new auto harm examine from an organization that gives tech for the auto insurance coverage and collision restore industries.

That agency, Mitchell Worldwide, sifted by way of second-quarter 2023 business information, discovering that common restore prices for EVs had been $963 greater within the U.S. and $1,328 greater in Canada than for comparable internal-combustion automobiles.

The information was significantly dangerous for Tesla homeowners. Common collision-repair prices for Teslas was $1,589 greater within the U.S. and $1,600 greater in Canada, in accordance with the examine. Tesla has tried to handle excessive restore prices by increasing its insurance coverage choices (Tesla insurance coverage is accessible in 12 states) and opening in-house physique retailers and restore services.

2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E, IIHS

One issue on this was a decrease share of components being repaired as a substitute of changed in EVs, at 13.49%, in comparison with 19.20% for internal-combustion automobiles. These components had been additionally extra prone to come from the unique gear producer (OEM), probably affecting price. EV repairs studied averaged 90.75% OEM components in comparison with 66.50% OEM components for internal-combustion vehicles.

EVs additionally averaged extra time within the paint store than internal-combustion vehicles, at 8.51 hours and eight.02 hours, respectively. Labor hours for paint refinishing may be 40% of the full labor time for the common collision restore, Mitchell Worldwide famous, and people hours in flip symbolize a big chunk of the ultimate invoice.

On the intense aspect, the identical evaluation discovered that EVs had been much less prone to be designated non-drivable than internal-combustion vehicles. In Q2 2023, 10.31% of EVs concerned in collisions had been designated non-drivable, in comparison with 13.11% of internal-combustion automobiles. Analysts credit score EVs’ lack of transferring components, saying this implies the powertrain is much less prone to be broken in a crash.

2021 Tesla Mannequin Y IIHS crash-testing

Dented fenders and busted bumpers often is the varieties of harm drivers are most probably to come across, however battery repairs could show to be the most costly for EV homeowners—and the best distinction from internal-combustion car restore. Reuters reported earlier this 12 months that, with battery packs representing as much as 50% of an EV’s price ticket, important harm to a pack may make a car uneconomical to restore.

Repairing each new EVs and internal-combustion automobiles additionally more and more requires entry to producers’ proprietary software program. Proper to restore guidelines, which assure entry to this software program and another mandatory instruments, might be essential to permitting impartial retailers to restore automobiles sooner or later, whatever the powertrain.