Accident management industry to offer replacement guarantee for electric vehicles

Motor Assist is calling on the accident recovery industry to introduce an electric vehicle replacement warranty that allows drivers to remain in their electric vehicle if they need a temporary replacement.

The new standard would require insurers and accident management providers to provide a replacement electric vehicle type while a customer's electric car is not drivable following an accident that was not their fault.

To ensure that drivers do not have to switch back to a petrol or diesel car after an accident, Motor Assist offers a three-year EV-for-EV guarantee.

Scott Hamilton-Cooper, Chief Commercial Officer at AX, said: “We were the first to introduce an EV for EV guarantee and following its successful implementation three years ago, we have raised the bar again with EValuate, our EV for ICE test drive initiative.”

“The feedback we have received and the research we have conducted shows that customers – both drivers and fleet managers – want greater engagement.

“Anything that can help positively impact the UK's transition from fossil-fuelled cars to zero-emission vehicles is a welcome step. Our industry can make a significant contribution to supporting sustainable mobility.”

88% of electric car drivers support this proposal. In a survey conducted by Motor Assist, they said they fully or partially agree that they should be entitled to an equivalent electric vehicle.

In the UK, drivers are entitled to an equivalent replacement vehicle if they are involved in an accident that was not their fault, but this does not oblige accident recovery companies or insurers to provide a vehicle with the same powertrain.

According to Motor Assist, an industry-wide guarantee will benefit motorists and the sector's commercial partners and at the same time represent a commitment to sustainable mobility in the run-up to the ban on the sale of new vehicles with combustion engines.

Since the beginning of 2023, AX and Motor Assist have provided nearly three thousand electric cars as loan vehicles to electric vehicle drivers who have been involved in accidents.