EVs are creating an unexpected brake problem for fleets

Electric vehicles are proving less likely to fail MOTs for worn brakes, but fleets are now being warned about a different issue emerging instead: brakes that are barely being used at all.

New analysis from CarHunch, based on more than 10 million UK MOT records, suggests regenerative braking is dramatically reducing traditional brake wear in EVs. But as more early electric fleet cars reach their first MOT cycle, a different pattern is starting to appear.

Rather than worn pads or discs, some EVs are developing corrosion and seized brake components because the friction brakes are not being exercised regularly enough.

According to the data, nearly 7% of EV brake failures at first MOT relate to corrosion or seizure-type issues.

For everyday drivers, it’s one of those side effects of one-pedal driving that probably feels counterintuitive. The smoother and more efficiently an EV is driven, the less often the physical brakes may actually get used.

That matters because seized calipers and binding brakes can create uneven braking performance, longer repair times, and unexpected downtime for fleets.

One simple recommendation emerging from the data is what CarHunch describes as a “Friday firm stop” approach: occasionally using the friction brakes more deliberately, where safe to do so, simply to keep components moving and prevent corrosion building up over time.

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