You've Been Warned: Consumer Reports Says These 10 Electric Vehicles Are The Least Reliable

Before purchasing your next electric vehicle (EV), do your research. Not performing due diligence is one of the common mistakes people make when looking for a used car. And never make your choice based on popularity. Some of the most popular cars, trucks, and SUVs are highly unreliable. Fortunately, Consumer Reports (CR) has done much of the research for you. If you want to avoid being stuck with a lemon, take note of CR's findings.

You have to approach the process with an open mind. If you have a preconceived idea about a vehicle, it will cloud your judgment. For example, you may think well of a car simply because of its brand. However, you may be surprised to learn that the car's marquee brand has been producing substandard vehicles and a long list of unhappy customers.

The vehicles below are listed according to their overall CR reliability score, where the lowest is 1, and the highest is 100. The list begins with the lowest-scoring automobile and progresses to the one with that scores highest. But you should remember that the scores are relative. Even the highest-ranking vehicle on this list has still been determined by CR to be one of the least reliable EVs on the market.

Consumer Reports had several nice things to say about the 2024 Kia EV9, not surprising since the brand has produced dependable cars for budget-minded people for years. There's plenty of room with its three rows of seats, it's fast for an SUV that size, and its design makes viewing the passing landscape easy. But the magazine slapped it with a reliability score of only 5 out of 100. The two factors for such a poor showing were the powertrain and the EV battery, both of which received a grade of 1 out of 5.

The EV9 was subject to six recalls, all occurring in 2024. The first, in April, involved the electrical system. Dealers were told to replace the gear drive unit. The unit's differential gear bolts were loose, creating the possibility of the differential locking or the vehicle losing drive power. Later that spring, the front passenger seatbelt assembly needed replacing due to a faulty retractor. In June, dealers began replacing headliners that were missing the protection they required to help occupants survive a rollover accident. 

Then the software for the parking assist feature was buggy, miscalculating the distances that determine safe parking. In the autumn, the vehicle had another software issue. The display panel would no longer show important driver information, such as the speed the vehicle was traveling. Kia then ended the year with another seatbelt recall. This time, it was to correct the belts for second and third-row passengers. Important mounting bolts were missing.

Genesis has received praise in the past for its vehicles that have challenged traditional pricey car makers like Mercedes and BMW, but the automaker has been humbled by forgettable products like the 2024 GV60. This electric SUV is so bad, it finished at the bottom of Consumer Report's ranking of 2024 SUVs. The magazine could only give the vehicle a 1 for the reliability of its powertrain. Its EV battery received the same humiliating score.

The GV60 has five recalls, three of which focus on the electrical system. Twice in 2024, the risk of a crash was deemed possible because of a sudden loss of power. There's an integrated charging control unit responsible for keeping the battery charged. It was possible for this unit to become damaged and stop feeding the battery. The result was a vehicle without power, which posed a danger to vehicles traveling behind it. 

The other electrical problem was a bug in the software operating the driver's instrument panel display. The failure kept drivers from knowing how fast they were traveling. It also prevented them from benefiting from modern collision warnings. Similarly, there was a recall for a backup camera that failed to display. Software problems caused the camera to shut down when the driver put the SUV in reverse. The latest recall dealt with build quality. Windshield molding tended to become detached, presenting an accident risk to other drivers.

The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV makes a fine first impression, but can't live up to expectations. Consumer Reports liked the smooth power delivery. However, the powertrain's reliability was suspect. CR slapped it with a 1 out of 5 reliability score. That's the same grade its EV battery and in-car electronics received. Overall, the car's reliability score was 9 out of a possible 100.

Inside EVs also found the software supporting the vehicle's MyChevrolet app to be unreliable. The same journalist also reported a rattling headliner and a moonroof that refused to close consistently. Among the staff at Edmunds, one person found the regenerative braking system caused the SUV to decelerate as if preventing a forward collision when no danger was present. For another staffer, the automatic reverse braking system stopped the vehicle three times when the staffer was trying to back out of an unobstructed driveway.

​The Blazer EV has undergone four recalls. The first involved replacing door strikers and bolts to keep doors from opening on their own while the car was in motion. The second replaced the rear drive unit. Poorly insulated wires made it possible for the SUV to suddenly lose power. The third recall was for a defective control arm that could break, leaving the driver helpless to control the vehicle. And the fourth was for a parking brake that could come on while the car was being driven and go off while the car was parked, allowing the SUV to roll away.

Consumer Reports liked several aspects of the 2025 Lucid Air. Reviewers noted how well the sedan, which is large enough to seat three passengers in the back seat, can still accelerate and maneuver with ease. These are two of the vehicle's features that owners also cite. The Lucid Air's driving experience received a 93 out of 100. The sedan's comfort scored even higher with a 96.Despite its size, the car also has an impressive estimated driving range of 377 miles. All the accolades, however, weren't enough to keep CR from giving the Lucid Air a 13 out of 100 on the reliability scale.

There are three recalls from 2024 and 2025. They include two that could contribute to accidents by shutting off energy to the powertrain. The first required the replacement of the rear wiring harness, which was placing too much strain on the electrical cables. There was the likelihood of cutting the power to the rear drive unit and rendering the vehicle powerless. The second potential power loss involved loose rear bolts that were supposed to keep the half-shaft engaged with the drive unit. The remaining recall mandated a software update. A glitch was causing the rearview camera to either not display an image at all or to show one that was inaccurate. Owners were notified that Lucid may have violated federal law by not notifying the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration of the problem within five days of learning about it, the administration said.

The 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV showed marked improvement over its 2024 predecessor. The 2024 version could only manage a 9 out of 100 overall reliability score, while Consumer Reports scored the 2025 SUV at a 22.​ A rear brake issue spurred a recall. Without repair, the vehicle could disengage its brake, rolling a parked vehicle into disaster. The brake also had the tendency to engage at the wrong time, when the owner is driving. The cause was a harness that was subject to damage or corrosion. 

Dealers were told to at least replace the harness. If necessary, they might find an alternate route for the harness and apply anti-abrasive tape. An owner complained to About Automobiles about experiencing the sudden application of the automatic braking. The same owner also said that his Blazer EV was letting in rain that caused the display panel to lose its image.

Besides the recall regarding the brakes, the Blazer EV also had a recall for its door strikers and their bolts. The metal wasn't properly heat treated, damaging the metal and shortening its life expectancy. All four sets needed replacing to keep doors from opening on their own while the car was in motion. In addition to the recalls, there have been numerous technical service bulletins issued to dealers to help them understand how to address various repairs. There have been two for the automatic emergency braking system and 80 for the electrical system.

Similar to other electric vehicles, the weaknesses of the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq lie in its powertrain, the EV battery, and the in-car electronics. Consumer Reports saw fit to award the Lyriq only a 1 out of 5 for each. The vehicle also received a 1 for noises and leaks, and EV charging. The car's composite reliability score was 27 out of 100.

The 2024 Lyriq has seen five recalls from 2023 to 2025. Two recalls involved the electrical system. Dealers had to replace the rear drive units that had insufficiently insulated wires. A shortage would cause the vehicle to lose power. This is the same problem that affected the Chevrolet Blazer EV, and for good reason. The Lyriq is built on Chevrolet's electric vehicle platform using the legacy automaker's key electronic components. Another electrical system recall addressed buggy software that could cause the driver's display screen to go blank, leaving the driver without rearview cameras, warnings, or even a speedometer.

The recall for the suspension was due to loose bolts that could lead to damaging coolant lines for the EV battery or high voltage cables. The end result could be a complete shutdown. Software problems that prevented the car from braking properly triggered another recall, while a badly welded bracket that made it difficult for a seat belt to perform properly was the cause of yet another recall. Additionally, owners report problems charging both at home and on the road.

Consumer Reports applauded Rivian for improving the R1S. giving the 2025 model a better riding experience and reequipping the cabin to eliminate more noise. That helps explain why the R1S is such a customer favorite while also being one of the least reliable vehicles. But even that praise came with caveats. One CR tester still didn't find the vehicle comfortable to drive, in part due to super-sensitive steering. CR also noted that the R1S was especially challenging to control at low speeds because of its intrusive regenerative braking system. Despite receiving praise for its other aspects, such as its superior acceleration and energy efficiency, the R1S could only manage a 28 in overall reliability.

CR's two particular areas of concern were the climate system and the vehicle's hardware. CR gave both a score of 1 out of 5. Body hardware includes such things as windows, doors, and seat belts, which were recalled in mid-2025. They weren't properly anchored, which made it difficult for the belt to hold a passenger securely. The seat belt issue was just 1 of 7 recalls for the R1S. Two of the recalls involved the electrical system. The high voltage distribution box was not grounded correctly, leading to a possible loss of drive power. On another occasion, a software malfunction left the vehicle operating without all its exterior lighting. Exterior lighting was the subject of two other recalls. Once the headlights failed to operate properly, and on another occasion, the turn signals didn't work.

The 2025 Cadillac Lyriq is a study in contrasts. Respondents of Consumer Report's Customer Satisfaction Survey were thrilled with the driving experience and comfort of the vehicle. In both categories, they awarded it a rare perfect score of 100 out of 100. But when asked if they would purchase the vehicle again, only 58% said they would. And only 46% considered it a good value. The Lyriq's overall reliability score was 30.

The SUV has three recalls on record for the electrical system, suspension, and head restraints. The bolts holding the battery in place weren't tight enough, creating the possibility of a fire should the vehicle be in an accident that compromised the battery. The suspension issue was loose bolts on front stabilizer bar brackets. There was fear that the battery's coolant lines or the Lyriq's high voltage cables could be cut by an unmoored stabilizer bar or its bracket. The other recall dealt with a mistake in the owner's manual that would lead to people adjusting their head restraints in a way that wouldn't give them the proper protection.

Despite the car receiving thumbs up for its beauty, its build quality seems to be questionable. One owner complained to Edmunds that after only a week, several problems surfaced. The wireless phone charging option failed, so he plugged in the phone only for the driver's display panel to go black. Without a functional display, the vehicle had to remain parked until the system came back online the next day.

The Acura MDX managed a 35 on Consumer Report's reliability scale. Reviewers dinged it most for its spotty brakes and its poor build quality, which resulted in various leaks and noises. ​There are two recalls for the vehicle, both issued in 2025, and both problems were serious enough to be the potential cause of accidents. At the beginning of the year, dealers were busy reprogramming software that controlled the fuel injection electronic control unit. The software glitch was causing engines to stall or for the vehicle to lose power. The problem was thought to affect over 294,000 vehicles. 

The other recall came in June when Acura told dealers to replace the brake pedal assembly. Brake pedals were moving out of position because a pivot pin wasn't attached correctly.An owner reported to CR that a squeaky brake issue persisted after a trip to the dealer, who claimed to have solved the problem. Another said the brake calipers were bad, cutting short the lifespan of the rotors, which forced a trip to the dealer for a replacement.

There were plenty of complaints  to CR about the in-car electronics. According to one person, if another party used AirPlay, the only way to reset it was to switch off the vehicle, then open the door. Another person said the radio had delays when switching from one Sirius XM channel to another. One driver said all the warning lights began flashing simultaneously, necessitating a trip to the dealer.

Auto manufacturers are still trying to crack the code of how to produce a highly reliable all-electric pickup truck. The 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning is an excellent example of the problems they face. Ford has long since perfected the process of turning out traditional internal combustion engine versions of the F-150, so the company had a solid basis on which to begin work on the electric version. But the technology necessary for an electric powertrain has proved just as troublesome to master for Ford as for others. The Lightning also has issues with its in-car electronics. The problems were so bad that CR gave both the truck's powertrain and its electronics only a 2 on a scale of 1 to 5 for reliability. Overall, the truck managed a 38 on reliability from Consumer Reports.

The 2024 F-150 Lightning has four recalls. The first was issued at the close of 2024 for the suspension. Drivers could lose the ability to steer and control the large truck due to a control arm becoming detached. The other three recalls were spread throughout 2025. At the beginning of that year, a recall was announced to prevent the vehicle from catching fire because of a battery short circuit. In the spring, there was another recall for the suspension. The same control arm problem needed to be re-addressed. The year ended with a powertrain recall. Vehicles were losing their ability to remain in park. Trucks were rolling away, threatening to cause accidents.