EV Warranty Guide

Are electric cars reliable?

Generally, electric cars require little maintenance and are remarkably reliable. Unlike internal combustion engines, an electric car’s powertrain houses only about a dozen moving parts, making breakdowns less likely than traditional gasoline or diesel engines with their thousands of moving components.

However, EVs are not immune to issues. They still utilize air conditioning systems, power seats, and sunroofs that can fail over time. While rare, failures in battery management systems or electronic control modules can be expensive. Typical out-of-warranty repair costs include:

Manufacturer, Dealer, and Extended Warranties

What is a Basic Vehicle Warranty?

Often called a bumper-to-bumper warranty, this covers almost every component onboard, from window switches to touchscreens. It excludes wear-and-tear items like tires, windshield wipers, and brake pads.

Common Basic Warranty Periods:

EV Powertrain and Battery Warranties

An EV’s powertrain warranty typically covers the battery, electric motors, and propulsion hardware. These terms almost always exceed the basic vehicle warranty and, in many cases, exceed the federal mandate to provide additional peace of mind.

Common Powertrain & Battery Terms:

Specifics for Hyundai and Kia Owners

While the internal combustion powertrain warranty for these brands typically drops to 5 years/60,000 miles for second owners, the EV System Warranty is different. This specialized powertrain coverage—which protects the battery pack, electric motors, and onboard charger—is fully transferable to subsequent owners for the full 10-year or 100,000-mile term.

The Federal Battery Mandate

In the U.S., all new electric cars are federally mandated to have at least an 8-year or 100,000-mile battery warranty. This warranty is transferable and protects against defects and significant capacity loss—typically defined as the battery dropping below 70% state of health. Several automakers offer warranties extending the mandate, like Kia, Hyundai, Tesla, Rivian, and others.