Motor Ombudsman EV disputes hit a record 1,317 in Q2 2026

EV disputes reaching The Motor Ombudsman nearly doubled in the second quarter of 2026. It received 1,317 cases between April and June, up 95% from 676 a year earlier and the highest quarterly total it has recorded (The Motor Ombudsman). The biggest cause was not battery faults but how cars were sold and how customers were treated.

What the figures show

Cases rose year on year in every month of the quarter.

Month	2026 cases	Change on 2025
April	416	+79% (from 233)
May	446	+87% (from 238)
June	455	+121% (from 205)
Q2 total	1,317	+95% (from 676)

The Motor Ombudsman links the rise to more people driving EVs and a record number of consumers turning to it for help. It also points to artificial intelligence tools signposting more people to it, and continued financial pressure on households. It adds that EVs generate far fewer complaints per vehicle than non-EV equivalents (Warranty Solutions Group). A bigger number of cases therefore does not show EVs are less dependable.

What goes wrong

Customer service and purchase issues made up 45% of Q2 EV disputes. Buyers reported vehicles advertised with lower mileage than the real figure, part-exchange values changed by the seller and confirmed sale prices not honoured after a deposit was paid.

Technical faults are a smaller share. In Q1 2026, battery issues were 10% of EV disputes and electrical or software issues 11% (The Motor Ombudsman). That sits at odds with the common fear of expensive battery failures, though a battery warranty claim is still worth documenting. Our guide to what EV warranties actually cover explains the cover on offer.

Why the headline number needs context

A rise of 95% in a year sounds alarming, but three things sit behind it. There are more EVs on UK roads, so more owners and buyers can have a problem. More people are being directed to the ombudsman, including by AI tools. And household budgets are tight, which makes a disputed deposit or a changed part-exchange value matter more.

Each of those pushes volumes up without saying anything about the cars. The more useful reading is the mix: nearly half of cases are about how a sale or a complaint was handled, which is a retailer problem rather than a technology problem. Because the ombudsman says EVs produce fewer complaints per vehicle than non-EV equivalents, buyers should worry less about the powertrain and more about the paperwork.

How the quarter compares with Q1

The Q1 2026 report gave a different cut of the same data: battery issues were 10% of EV disputes and electrical or software issues 11%. Combined, that is about a fifth of cases, against the 45% for customer service and purchase issues in Q2. The two reports measure different quarters, so treat the comparison as a guide to the shape of complaints, not a trend.

How to escalate a dispute

The Motor Ombudsman covers businesses that have signed up to its codes, so check that your retailer or manufacturer is accredited before relying on it. A typical route:

Step	Action
1	Complain in writing to the dealer or manufacturer and keep copies
2	Allow the business to respond and use its complaints process
3	If unresolved, take the case to The Motor Ombudsman, with the paperwork

Your paperwork matters. Keep the advert, the order form, deposit receipts, messages and part-exchange valuation. Most of the Q2 purchase problems turn on what was promised in writing.

What this means for you

Screenshot the advert and confirm the mileage, price and part-exchange value in writing before paying a deposit. If something goes wrong, put the complaint in writing and keep the trail. When buying used, our used EV buying checklist and guide to checking a battery before buying help you avoid the disputes in the record numbers, and our buying and owning hub has more.