IMI warns MOT delay may spark rise in EVs with worn tyres

An in-depth report looking at the impact of delayed technical checks suggested it “will have a detrimental impact on overall safety” – and could increase the number of electric cars on the road with dangerously worn or damaged tyres.

A government consultation on extending the first MOTs from three to four years and then every two years thereafter was launched in January and is expected to conclude later this month (March 22).

This could lead to the biggest shake-up to MOTs in decades, with MPs estimating the changes will collectively save motorists around £100m a year while having little or no impact on road safety.

However, the Automotive Industry Institute (IMI) strongly disagrees with the findings of a new study shared exclusively with This is Money. One of his main concerns is the increased tire wear on electric cars that goes undetected by owners.

IMI has raised new concerns about the DfT’s proposed extension to MOTs, saying it could lead to an increase in the number of electric vehicles on the road with faulty tyres.

The main argument put forward by MEPs for extending MOT timetables is based on the growing popularity of electric cars as we approach 2030 and the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel models.

As electric vehicles have fewer moving parts to check, ministers say the current frequency of MOTs is no longer necessary.

More safety tech to fit all modern cars is another reason MPs are calling for extended periods between tests (which are capped at £54.85) in a bid to help ease the financial strain on the conductors.

However, the suggestion to delay roadworthiness tests has already come under fire from road safety campaigners who fear it could lead to more casualties and tarnish the Grand’s longstanding reputation. Britain to have some of the safest roads in the world.

And now IMI has expressed its opposition to the content of the consultation.

Based on detailed research – which the institute believes no one else has examined in the same way – it found that increasing the time before a vehicle’s first MOT would not only be “detrimental to road safety as a whole”, but in particular “present a significant risk to consumer confidence in electric vehicles”.

His main concern with electric vehicles is their higher proportion of MOT failures related to faulty tires.

The institute says this is because electric cars are heavier and have more torque and faster acceleration, which wears rubber faster.

The combined impact is faster tire wear than comparable gasoline or diesel models, he says.

However, tire manufacturers dispute this suggestion, saying they often last longer than tires fitted to combustion engine cars. This is due to their different compounds and structures, which are specifically designed around the increased weight of vehicles.

Yet the institute points to data from the Department for Transport which shows electric vehicles have a higher failure rate than petrol ones dating back to 2012 – and that’s mainly because tires are the problem.

DfT figures show that 46% of all MOT initial failure faults for electric vehicles are related to tire issues. This is far more than petrol and diesel cars (32% and 29% respectively)

The MOT checks a number of parts such as lights, seat belts, tires and brakes to ensure they meet legal standards. The Government wants to extend the first MOT from 3 to 4 years and make them biannual thereafter rather than an annual health check

The analysis shows that 46% of the initial failure defects of electric cars are linked to the poor condition of their rubber.

For gasoline and diesel models, tires are the initial fault in only 32% and 29% of MOT failures respectively.

IMI believes that if EV tires go unchecked for another year, these cars are likely to pose a greater threat on the road, especially to the most vulnerable users.

The latest DfT road accident figures show 26 people were killed in crashes in Britain in 2021 when vehicle faults were a contributing factor.

While faulty brakes were by far the most common type of fault – causing a total of 750 fatalities in 2021 and being one of the causes of 10 deaths – tires were the second most common fault linked to accidents and were among contributing factors for 491 injuries.

And worn and underinflated tires were most often linked to the cause of death in these cases, with 12 people losing their lives unnecessarily in collisions involving vehicles with worn or illegal rubber.

As the DfT wants to delay roadworthiness timetables, its latest road accident statistics have shown an increase in the number of collisions where vehicle faults – such as badly worn tires – are a contributing factor to injuries in road accidents. accidents.

‘With the majority of early MOT testing taking place coupled with routine maintenance, it’s shocking that these figures exist for failure rates, suggesting that many of these vehicles have not been serviced. ‘a routine interview that would select these items before the MOT test,’ explains Hayley Pells, Policy Officer at IMI.

“IMI’s response to the MOT consultation will therefore strongly indicate that increasing the time before a periodic inspection of cars is detrimental to road safety.

“This reduces the frequency of maintenance and inspections that are essential to ensure vehicles are in good condition and running at their best.”

Drivers can be fined up to £1000 for using a vehicle without a valid MOT and this will also invalidate their insurance.

The tests check a number of parts such as lights, seat belts, tires and brakes to ensure they meet legal standards.

MPs also argued that extending the current MOT timetables would put Britain in line with other European countries such as Denmark, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal where cars undergo their first technical inspection at four years and once every two years thereafter.

But industry insiders are not just worried about the impact on road accident statistics – which in Britain are lower than almost any other country – but fear that a reduction in testing will put many independent operators who depend on MOT revenues outside the companies.