ADAC report: 12-volt batteries drive rise in German EV breakdowns

Data from the German automobile association ADAC reveals that electric vehicle (EV) breakdowns in Germany increased by 15 percent in 2025. Despite the rise in numbers, the primary cause of failure is not the high-voltage traction battery, but rather the small 12-volt battery used to power electronics and infotainment systems. This 12-volt battery accounted for 45.4 percent of all recorded breakdowns.

While EVs generally exhibit lower breakdown rates per 1,000 vehicles compared to internal combustion engine cars, significant disparities exist between models. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 (2022–2023 models) showed significantly higher failure rates due to issues with the Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU), which manages the charging of the 12-volt battery. In contrast, the BMW i3 and Tesla Model 3 were identified as highly reliable models with very low breakdown rates.

ADAC noted that while the total number of EV breakdowns is rising, this is largely due to the growing number of electric vehicles in the German car park. Currently, EVs represent approximately 4.1 percent of the total vehicle fleet in Germany.