Best EV warranties
VinFast and Fisker take the top seats, while Hyundai, Genesis, Kia and Mitsubishi are close behind
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While EVs are generally cheaper to repair and maintain than their gas-powered equivalents, that can all change if you have to replace a battery pack.
“I noticed that my car was starting to lose acceleration & I wasn't able to charge it,” wrote a Tesla reviewer in Illinois. Tesla told him that it was an issue with the high-voltage battery and that “it would cost 15k because it was out of warranty.”
Expensive battery problems aren’t exclusive to Teslas, though. As a result, EV shoppers may want to seriously consider the warranties that come with their vehicles.
But which automaker offers the best EV warranty in 2024? Are cars from Fisker and VinFast worth considering? And can you get an extended auto warranty to cover your battery for even longer?
Read on to find out.
Key insights
- The top five EV warranties for 2024 come from VinFast, Fisker, Genesis, Hyundai and Mitsubishi. (Kia is a close sixth.)
- On average, EVs come with a four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and an eight-year/100,000-mile battery warranty. But some automakers, like Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota, have bumper-to-bumper warranties as short as three years/36,000 miles.
- Contrary to popular belief, the federal government does not mandate a minimum battery warranty on EVs. (California requires a 10-year/150,000-mile battery warranty but only on partial zero-emissions vehicles, or PZEVs.)
- Most extended warranty companies do not offer plans for EV batteries and drive units, so your best bet is to get one with a long warranty from the factory.
The top EV warranties for 2024
All new EVs sold in the U.S. come with at least four types of factory warranties:
- Bumper-to-bumper warranties, also known as basic or limited warranties, cover the vast majority of the parts on the car. The main exceptions are wear-and-tear parts that are designed to need regular replacements, like wiper blades and brake pads.
- Powertrain warranties cover the engine, transmission and drive axle(s) on gas-powered cars and the drive unit (aka electric motor) on hybrids and EVs.
- EV battery warranties cover the total failure or severe malfunction of the EV/PHEV battery. Many also guarantee that the battery will maintain at least 70% of its maximum capacity for the length of the warranty.
- Corrosion coverage protects your vehicle from rusting.
We factored in all four of those warranties when coming up with our list of the best EV warranties of 2024 because we wanted to highlight companies offering the best overall coverage for your car — not just the longest battery warranty.
» MORE: Car warranty guide: what you need to know
Methodology
We made our ranking based on the length of each automaker’s bumper-to-bumper warranty period, with less comprehensive coverages used as tiebreakers. We also gave preference to years covered rather than mileage when necessary. All coverage durations are given in terms of time and mileage, with coverage ending when the vehicle crosses either threshold.
You can check out our rankings below.
| Brand | Bumper-to-bumper coverage | Drive unit coverage | EV battery coverage | Corrosion coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. VinFast | 7 years or 100,000 miles | 7 years or 100,000 miles | 10 years (unlimited miles) | Undisclosed |
| 2. Fisker | 6 years or 60,000 miles | 10 years or 100,000 miles | 10 years or 100,000 miles | 12 years (unlimited miles) |
| 3. Genesis | 5 years or 60,000 miles | 10 years or 100,000 miles | 10 years or 100,000 miles | 7 years (unlimited miles) |
| 4. Hyundai | 5 years or 60,000 miles | 10 years or 100,000 miles | 10 years or 100,000 miles | 7 years (unlimited miles) |
| 5. Mitsubishi | 5 years or 60,000 miles | 10 years or 100,000 miles | 10 years or 100,000 miles | 7 years or 100,000 miles |
| 6. Kia | 5 years or 60,000 miles | 10 years or 100,000 miles | 10 years or 100,000 miles | 5 years (unlimited miles) |
| 7. Jaguar | 5 years or 60,000 miles | 5 years or 60,000 miles | 8 years or 100,000 miles | 6 years (unlimited miles) |
| 8. Rivian | Varies from 4 years/50,000 miles to 5 years/60,000 miles | Varies from 8 years/150,000 miles to 8 years/175,000 miles | Varies from 8 years/150,000 miles to 8 years/175,000 miles | 8 years (unlimited miles) |
| 9. Tesla | 4 years or 50,000 miles | Varies from 8 years/100,000 miles to 8 years/150,000 miles | Varies from 8 years/100,000 miles to 8 years/150,000 miles | 12 years (unlimited miles) |
The first thing you probably noticed is that two companies you may have never heard of — VinFast and Fisker — have the best overall EV warranties in 2024.
- VinFast is a bit like the Tesla of Vietnam, and it only produces EVs. Its first vehicle, the VF8 crossover, launched in the U.S. in 2023 and was widely panned for having a litany of design and build quality issues. But the company is reportedly working hard to fix the issues, so it could be worth watching if you want a quirky EV with a long warranty within the next few years.
- Fisker marks the return of Henrik Fisker, who originally launched the Tesla-rivaling Fisker Karma in 2012. As of publishing, he’s back with a more affordable $38,000 crossover called the Ocean. Early reviews are somewhat mixed, with some saying it’s not ready while others say it’s a breath of fresh air. If you’re looking for a Tesla Model Y alternative with a longer warranty, it might be worth a look.
If you’d prefer an EV from a more traditional and experienced automaker, consider that Hyundai, Genesis, Mitsubishi and Kia all offer impressive five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranties and 10-year/100,000-mile battery warranties.
The second thing you might have noticed is that we only ranked the top nine EV warranties for 2024. That’s because multiple EV marques offer similar warranty packages that would’ve tied each other for the 10 spot, and our top 10 list might’ve quickly turned into a top 20. Bottom line: The nine companies we’ve included above are the ones offering the most to make them stand out from the crowd.
» SEE OUR NON-EV RANKING: Best new car warranty
What’s the shortest EV warranty?
Among all 57 new electric vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2024, the shortest EV warranty we could find was three years/36,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage and eight years/100,000 miles for the battery and drive unit. Ford, Chevrolet, Honda, Jeep, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota all include these relatively short warranties with their EVs.
Doesn’t the government require EV battery warranties to be that long?
There’s a commonly held belief that the federal government forces all automakers to warranty their EV batteries for at least eight years or 100,000 miles. However, we couldn’t find any actual evidence of that.
Despite what you might have heard, the federal government doesn’t enforce a minimum for EV battery warranties.
This misconception might’ve arisen from the fact that the Clean Air Act requires automakers to include an eight year/80,000-mile warranty on select emissions equipment, but that only includes your catalytic converters; electronic emissions control unit or computer (ECU); and onboard emissions diagnostic (OBD) device or computer.
In 2016, the Department of Energy did acknowledge that the most common EV warranty was eight years/100,000 miles, but that acknowledgment doesn’t mention it being an actual requirement either.
This myth likely hasn’t been busted because it doesn’t make much of a difference whether the government mandates the minimum or not — as long as EV manufacturers maintain it willingly. However, it could make a big difference to you if the minimum ever changes and you unwittingly buy an EV with a subpar warranty.
Does California require a minimum EV battery warranty?
While we’re at it, another misconception surrounding EV warranties is that California mandates a 10-year/150,000-mile EV battery warranty on all electric vehicles sold in the state.
California does have a warranty mandate, but it only covers Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles (PZEVs), not all EVs. (You can read more about rule CCR §1962 here and see a list of qualifying PZEVs here.)
Do extended warranties cover EVs?
Generally speaking, most extended warranty companies don’t really cover EVs in 2024.
“We do not cover those types of vehicles yet,” said a rep from Endurance, and Toco Warranty told us something similar. A rep from olive said that they offer limited protection for EVs but will not cover the battery.
We appreciate their honesty because it’s theoretically possible to buy “coverage” for your EV that doesn’t actually include any EV-specific components, like the battery or drive unit.
“Consumers should really be asking what it covers and really get into details,” said Allison Harrison, an attorney specializing in automotive law. “When customers feel like they did not get the benefit of a warranty it is usually because the issue was not covered.”
For now, your best bet is probably to focus on companies that offer the longest EV warranties from the factory. If you purchase a used EV, consider taking a few extra steps to ensure you’re not getting a lemon with a dying battery:
- Schedule a pre-purchase inspection with a mechanic experienced in testing EV batteries.
- Check the vehicle history report for any accidents or red flags, like flooding, fleet use, a salvage title or long gaps with no recorded service history.
- Run the vehicle identification number (VIN) by the automaker to verify how much — if any — of the original bumper-to-bumper and battery warranties remain, and ensure that they’re transferable to the next owner (you).
» MORE: What does a car warranty cover?
