Yes, the humble Nissan Leaf is the most stolen EV, according to new research. The study was carried out by car leasing company Leasing Options using Freedom of Information Requests (FOI) after it was revealed that there were 130,521 vehicle thefts in the UK between 2022 and 2023, with a number of attacks becoming more sophisticated in how vehicles are being taken.
Nissan Leaf In Demand
Using Freedom of information requests (FOI) the study by Leasing Options revealed that Nissan Leaf owners are at the highest risk of car theft. So far this year, criminals are still targeting Nissan’s first electric vehicle, with 49 registered thefts so far. Not only that but the figures show it’s the EV that’s been stolen the most over the last five years.
The reason? Maybe it’s demand for a working battery pack, assuming a new model Leaf battery can be fitted to an older one. IE hasn’t the repair knowledge to give a definitive answer.
Key Fob Scanning
There has also been a rise in criminals targeting the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and MG’s MG5 this year says Leasing Options. Some 93% of Ioniq 5 thefts have taken place this year alone, leading to this particular Hyundai model ranking second in the most stolen electric vehicles in 2023 in the study. Is there a key fob problem with that model perhaps?
The MG5 hasn’t fared much better this year either, with 11 registered thefts this year, making it the third most targeted vehicle this year. These are low numbers to a Ford Fiesta owner however. Other models that criminals target are the Tesla Model S and Renault Zoe, which were ranked second and third in the analysis. The Tesla Model S has seen 61 stolen in the past five years, six of which have been this year, while the Zoe has had 46.
Ford, Lexus, Skoda and Volvo were the brands that had the least amount of thefts the study revealed. All just having one vehicle stolen.
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