If you are considering owning an electric vehicle (EV), you’ll need to know about electric car maintenance. Less maintenance required for an EV than there is with an internal combustion engine in a gas car.
Electric Vehicle Maintenance: Necessary Steps
Brakes
While electric vehicle maintenance requires you to change your brakes, you won’t be doing this nearly as often as you would with a gas car. EV’s have regenerative braking systems. This means that when you take your foot off the accelerator pedal and/or hit the brake pedal, the system that drives the vehicle does the majority of the braking. This helps to generate energy that is then put back into the battery.
Some EVs have an option for one-pedal driving. Due to regenerative braking, a driver of an EV does not have to use their breaks as often as a gas car, as the car slows down when the foot is removed from the acceleration pedal. When they do have to use their breaks, the regenerative braking system kicks in to help relieve the brake pads. It’s not uncommon for an EV to be able to go more than 100,000 miles before needing new brakes.
Tires
Electric vehicle maintenance still includes tires. As cars drive, their tires wear down. This is no exception for an EV. Just as you need to monitor treads on a gas car’s tires, check an EV’s tires as well. Tire maintenance includes regular tire rotation, checking air pressure, and making sure they are balanced and aligned.
Fluids
Although electric vehicle maintenance requires fewer fluids than gas cars, there’s still some to check. You’ll still need to keep an eye on windshield wiper and brake fluid. There will also be a coolant for the thermal management system. Every now and then, the coolant will need to be refilled.
Battery
Over time, the battery will become less efficient and need to be replaced. However, this is not a part of routine electric vehicle maintenance. Most EV manufactures have battery warranties set for 100,000 – 150,000 miles or a range of 8 – 10 years.
Of course you’ll need to charge the battery. In the same way you need to refuel a car, the frequency will depend on how far and how aggressive you drive the car.
Electric vehicles do not need radiator fluid, timing belts, fuel filters, oil or oil changes. Therefore, while they do require maintenance, they do not need as much as gas cars do.