With electric cars enjoying various exemptions – including road tax, the Congestion Charge, and the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) – recent EV converts may be wondering – do electric cars need an MOT?
The answer is a resounding yes – all types of electric cars, whether battery electric cars or hybrid electric cars, require an MOT in the UK – just like petrol and diesel vehicles.
In this blog, we will get into the ins and outs of electric car MOTs, including EV MOT costs, what’s included in an electric car MOT and what the difference is between an EV MOT and an a petrol and diesel MOT.
Yes – in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, electric cars are subject to the same legal MOT requirements as traditional petrol and diesel vehicles. MOT tests evaluate a vehicle’s roadworthiness, including factors such as brakes, lights, tires, and emissions, so they are essential for any vehicle – whether electric or not. If your electric vehicle fails, you will be unable to drive it on UK roads.
New electric cars: Just like petrol and diesel cars, new electric vehicles are exempt from an MOT for the first three years from the vehicle’s registration date. After this, your electric car will have to undergo a yearly MOT.
Used electric cars: Once the initial three-year period has expired, used electric cars must undergo an annual MOT test. This regular inspection ensures ongoing compliance with safety and environmental standards as the vehicle continues to be used on the road.
An electric car MOT cost can vary depending on the garage you visit. As a general rule of thumb, manufacturer garages typically charge more than local independent garages. That said, the cost of a electric car MOT should not exceed the standard MOT fee, which currently stands at £54.85 – whether an electric, petrol or diesel vehicle.
Unfortunately, EV MOTs will be around the same price as a traditional internal combustion engine vehicle MOT – not cheaper, despite fewer parts in an electric car.
Any garage should be able to undertake an electric car MOT – they cannot turn you or your electric vehicle away. Additionally, as the volume of electric car sales continues to rise, it’s unlikely you’ll encounter any problems when taking your electric vehicle.
If you are wondering where to take your electric car for its MOT, recognised companies are already promoting EV MOTs and servicing, such as Kwik Fit.
Just make sure any garage you visit gives you an MOT test certificate after your EV passes its MOT.
Although electric cars have some differences compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, the EV MOT process remains largely the same. Essential safety checks on components such as brake pads, discs, seatbelts, and windscreen wipers are still conducted during the MOT. The only significant difference between an MOT for an EV compared to a traditional MOT is that emission and noise tests are not applicable to electric vehicles and are therefore not undertaken during an electric car MOT.
Since battery electric cars have fewer moving parts, the duration of an EV MOT is likely to be shorter compared to that of an ICE vehicle. This streamlined process is due to the reduced number of components requiring inspection. Typically, an electric MOT will be 10-15 minutes quicker than a petrol and diesel vehicle MOT.
While electric cars generally have lower maintenance and repair costs due to their simpler mechanical systems, some repairs may still be necessary. Issues such as windscreen damage or air conditioning problems may require repairs that are similar to those for petrol and diesel cars.
All in all, no matter what type of electric car your vehicle is – whether a battery electric car or hybrid – you are legally required to undergo an MOT. This means popular electric cars, such as Tesla and Nissan EVs, have to complete an MOT test.
Understanding and adhering to EV MOT requirements ensures the ongoing safety and roadworthiness of your electric vehicle. Additionally, while electric cars generally have lower maintenance costs, certain repairs may still be necessary. By fulfilling these obligations and conducting regular maintenance, electric car owners can enjoy their eco-friendly vehicles with peace of mind.
Contact us today to discuss our market-leading range of home electric car chargers at 03333 44 96 99. Our expert customer service team will always be happy to help. With expert engineers across the UK, we can install wherever you are. Or, fill in the contact form below, and a member of our team will be in touch.
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This type of electric charger has it's own cable to charge your car.
This type of electric charger requires a seperate cable to charge your car.
Spread over a 60 month period.
Tenants and homeowners are eligible for finance.
You decide the amount of months.
Minimum of £1000.
We will contact you to process the credit application. Approval is subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history. 13.9% APR representative. T&Cs apply.
Your order is not confirmed until your application has been approved.
We lay SWA cable laid at 600mm deep, with a protective cable warning tape laid 150mm above the cable. These are laid on a sand or sifted sand soil bed then backfilled.
We position overhead cables at a minimum height of 3.5m and are run along a catenary wire. The cable run should not be accessible to vehicles.
Standard Installation
Our instant price is fixed if it falls within our standard installation package plus any additions that you have selected (extra cabling for example). This package covers the majority of homes in the UK. Before we undertake your installation we will carry out a digital survey to check that nothing has been missed. After reviewing the survey results some additional work may be required in order to complete your installation safely and to the required standards. If this is the case, we will contact you well before the installation date and advise the cost of any required work. You can then continue with your installation, or alternatively we will refund you in full if you do not want to proceed.
Included in our standard installation is :
• Fitting of a single phase charge point to a brick or plaster wall or other suitable permanent structure
• Up to 10 metres of cable, run and neatly clipped to the wall between the electricity supply meter / distribution board and the charge point.
• Routing of the cable through a drilled hole in a wall up to 500mm (20 inches) thick if this is needed.
• The fitting and testing of electrical connections and protections required for the charge point.
• An additional three way consumer unit, if required
• Installation of a Type A RCBO in an RCBO enclosure
• Up to 3 metres of plastic trunking to conceal interior wiring.
• An O-pen earth protection device if the charge point requires it. (This is NOT an earth rod)
• Up to 4 hours of labour from your installer to complete the work.
• Electrical testing of the whole installation.
• Handover and setup of the charge point and any app that may be needed.
Not included in our standard installation (additional work) :
• Where the installation requires additional cabling over and above the amount you have told us about.
• Upgrade/replacement of the main incoming supply fuse where the local DNO (eg Northern Powergrid) would need to attend site.
• If the charge point is to be mounted on a post/pedestal rather than an existing wall and where you have not selected a post as an extra cost option in your order.
• Installation of a charge point to a three phase supply.
• Where gas and water mains bonding (earthing) is not in place at your property. If this is not in place, additional work would be required before installation of the charge point.
• Any groundwork that has not been selected during the order process.
A Surge Protection Device is not included in our standard installation.
What else you need to know :
• On the day of installation, please ensure that the area around your consumer unit (fuse box), incoming electricity supply meter and proposed charge point location (including where the cable is expected to be run) is clear and free of obstructions.
• We will need your WiFi password as part of the installation process in order to connect your charge point to the internet. Please have this available for the installer. Details will not be kept.
• The charge point must be on your own designated off road parking.
• The charger will be fixed in line with current guidelines at a height where it cannot be hit by a vehicle.
• Our installers are not able to enter loft spaces; lift floorboards or flooring; take apart any furniture of work above a height of 2m. If you anticipate that any of this may be required, then please contact us and we can discuss in more detail and provide you with a quotation.
• Should there be extreme weather conditions our installers may not be able to continue with you installation if it is not safe to do so (for example flooding). They will always do their best to complete the work where they can.
If you have any questions then please contact our customer service team who will be happy to help. Please also read our terms and conditions.
