How Much Maintenance Do Electric Cars Need? A car with a conventional combustion engine will have hundreds of moving parts, which is a lot that could go wrong over the lifetime of the vehicle. On the other hand, in comparison, an electric car will only have a handful of moving parts, which results in much less maintenance and a lower risk of things going wrong.
The main complex electrical components that you will find in an electric car include the high voltage relays, high voltage air conditioning pumps and high voltage inverters. If you decide to buy an electric car or go for electric car leasing, you’ll also need to regularly maintain key parts like tyres, brakes, or wipers. But there are lots of maintenance jobs that you can forget about like replacing timing belts or topping up engine oil.
Battery Maintenance Traction batteries in electric vehicles have been proven to be quite robust; however, like any battery, they will need maintaining over time. You should always refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations when it comes to charging and prolonging the life of the traction battery. Generally, you will need to charge your battery according to the manual, which will usually recommend around 20-80% full charge, which tends to be most efficient. You will also need to ensure that the battery doesn’t run out completely.
Brake Maintenance Electric vehicles use a combination of conventional and regenerative braking. Regenerative braking involves converting the lost energy back into stored energy in the battery when the car slows down. As a result of this, braking tends to be more efficient in an electric car, which puts less wear and tear on the braking system and leads to brake components that last longer and require less maintenance. However, just like in any car, you will need to have your brake discs, pads, and other braking components regularly checked and maintained to ensure that they are working correctly and are safe.
Coolant Levels The majority of electric cars will use coolant to manage the temperature of the battery. You will need to flush the coolant or top it up to keep the system working correctly. How often you will need to do this will depend on the make and model of your car, so the best thing to do is check the owner’s manual for instructions. Most of the time, electric cars have sealed cooling systems that should be checked and topped up by a qualified electric vehicle technician.
Tyre Maintenance Just like with a traditional car, you will need to check and maintain the tyres on your electric vehicle regularly. Tyres for an electric car are often different from traditional cars and some electric vehicles need to have certain tyres that are designed to cope with more accelerating power and additional weight. EV tyres tend to have less rolling resistance and are quieter on the road. When it comes to tyre maintenance with your electric car, you should replace tyres when needed, rotate them in accordance with the owner’s manual, and keep the tyre pressure topped up to the right level.
Repairs Since electric cars have fewer moving parts, they require less maintenance compared to diesel or petrol cars and tend to be more reliable, which leads to fewer repairs. However, while this can keep the cost of running your electric car down, you will still need to repair parts that can go wrong from time to time. The most common issues that electric car drivers face are problems with the battery or punctures and other tyre problems. To keep your electric car running smoothly, you will also need to get an MOT and servicing similarly to a traditional combustion engine vehicle. However, there is no emissions test and with fewer moving parts to inspect during the MOT, you are likely to pay less in comparison.
If you’re thinking of getting an electric car, you’ll be glad to hear that there’s less maintenance involved compared to a traditional vehicle. But it’s still important to know what maintenance your electric vehicle will need.
