TÜV slap on the wrist for Tesla
This is what a classic false start looks like!
A total of 10,225,866 main inspections (HU) were evaluated for the TÜV Report 2024. Important here: the average failure rate, i.e. the percentage of 100 cars of this model that do not pass the general inspection.
Among the 2- to 3-year-old used cars - i.e. cars that have to undergo a mandatory inspection for the first time - the Tesla Model 3 came in LAST out of 111 car models.
14.7 percent of the Model 3s tested failed the TÜV! The penultimate model (Dacia Logan) was only 11.4 percent, the average in this age group is 5.7 percent.
Main problem: axle suspension and brakes
The weaknesses of the popular US electric car? Problems with the axle suspensions and brake discs are the electric star's main downfall! When it comes to the axle suspensions, the Model 3 performs 14 times worse than the average of all tested vehicles in this age category.
However, the weak points mentioned are more common in electric cars than in combustion engines. The high weight of the battery vehicles causes problems for the axle suspensions. The brakes are rarely used because the vehicle can also brake with the engine and even recuperate energy in the process (recuperation). In the long term, however, the infrequent use of the brakes leads to a reduction in the friction coefficient of the brake pads and the discs often rust.
Renault Zoe good midfield, VW e-Golf far ahead
Two other electric cars in the survey of 2- to 3-year-olds prove that things can be done differently: The Renault Zoe secured a place in the upper midfield (44 out of 111, failure rate of 5.1 percent below average) despite also having susceptible axle suspensions.
Even better: the VW e-Golf landed in fourth place for all 2 to 3-year-olds with a failure rate of just 2.6 percent. Winner in the age group: the VW Golf Sportsvan. Only two out of 100 TÜV test subjects failed.
Why only three electric models?
And where are the other electric cars? In the TÜV report, only cars with a certain distribution appear so as not to distort the statistics. This means that a certain number of HU results must first be available in order to be listed in the TÜV report. This has not yet been achieved for other electric models. In addition, privately used cars only have to undergo an MOT after three years, so the latest models will only appear in the coming years.
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- The 'AUTO BILD TÜV Report' revealed that the Tesla Model 3 performed poorly in its mandatory first-time inspection, with 14.7% of tested models failing the TÜV.
- In contrast, the VW e-Golf ranked fourth among 2- to 3-year-old used cars, showing a lower failure rate of just 2.6%, proving that electric cars can perform well in these inspections.
- The 'AUTO BILD TÜV Report' highlighted that problems with the axle suspensions and brake discs were the main issues for the Tesla Model 3, which is common in electric cars due to their high battery weight and infrequent brake use.
