German study finds a breakdown weak link between ICE vehicles and EVs

Breakdown weak link

We’ve done two recent posts related to 12 volt start batteries over the last several months and now comes an item from Germany that puts a finger on the same item being a breakdown weak link that brings together electric vehicles (EVs) and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

Reported by InsideEVs, the German Automobile Club (ADAC) reports that roadside assistance calls most commonly involve the 12-volt start batteries in both EVs (50%) and ICE vehicles (45%). Of course, InsideEVs noted the report showed of cars built between 2020 and 2022 EVs had a breakdown rate significantly lower (4.2 out of 1,000 vehicles) than ICE models (10.4 per 1,000).

The report cites the good and bad actors in EV space so check it out here. But our topic will remain 12-volt start batteries.

After a friend’s Tesla start battery failed, she called in a panic because seeing the word “battery” associated with a failure in an EV immediately put her attention on the high-voltage battery. So, our first post spoke to the fact that an EV gets first light from a 12-volt battery, and it is incumbent on the industry to point this out to their customers.

The second post revolved around the fact that, while there is a charge system warning light, there is not a warning for a battery that is itself about to fail. I have personally been stranded twice over the years by batteries that simply quit. No warning at all, or at least no warning light or message.

In days past, when the 12-volt battery was under far less strain, a driver would experience hard starting for several days. Ample time to amp up!

In my dual strandings, in cars chock full of electronics, I got a single start. Period. And there was nothing left. Should have driven straight to the parts store…

On the Tesla noted earlier, she was able to get one more start (no ICE motor to turn over!) and got it to a Tesla repair shop. So somewhat of a happy ending.

But we simply believe that there needs to be a sensor inside the battery itself reading the condition of the cells, so that driver’s are no longer blindsided by dead batteries requiring a roadside assistance call.

There warning lights for systems and items of far less importance. When 45% to 50% of roadside calls involve the start battery, its a problem that needs to be solved.

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