Are Electric Cars More Expensive to Maintain?

One of the advantages of owning an electric vehicle is its rather low maintenance cost. With a relatively small number of moving parts, maintenance for an EV is neither demanding nor expensive.

The core of an electric car is its battery & electric motor. EV batteries are known for their durability & long life. The electric motor too consists of very few moving components, minimizing wear & tear and maintenance.

Electric cars do not have internal combustion engines, which means they don’t need many of the moving parts that require lubrication via engine oil. Therefore, electric cars do not need regular oil changes. Unlike petrol/diesel-powered cars with annual or bi-annual service intervals, EVs need less frequent servicing. The lack of engine oils, plugs, belts & filters make service centre visits much less frequent.

Electric Cars & A Glimpse Of Their Service Routines:

• Tata Nexon EV’s service interval is 15,000 km and general checkup is every 7500 km. The car will start giving service/checkup notifications upon approaching 7500 km since last service. During checkup visits, owners are usually charged around Rs 1000-1200 for carwash & running diagnostics. During service visits, owners are charged around Rs 2000-2500. Service cost includes wheel alignment, wheel balancing & carwash. Optional services (for additional charge) are also available like foam washing, AC disinfectant foaming, exterior polishing & wiper blade replacement.
• The service interval of Volvo XC40 Recharge electric car is 30,000 km. And more importantly, the first three services (i.e. up to 90,000 km) are free!

Maintenance needs for hybrid cars & plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are similar to those of conventional petrol/diesel vehicles, because hybrids & PHEVs have internal combustion engines. Conventional internal combustion engines (ICE) have hundreds of moving parts. More moving parts mean more potential for something or the other going wrong over a car’s lifetime. A lot of parts may need replacement over time.

With no gearbox or clutch, the transmission of an electric vehicle (especially cars) is much simpler. All breakdowns related to the conventional transmission in a petrol/diesel car are avoided, thereby reducing the overall cost of maintenance.

UK-based car leasing company ‘Tusker’ claimed that service, maintenance & repair costs of electric cars are 40% lower than petrol & diesel vehicles. They put out this claim based on data from their fleet of over 22,000 lease cars. And this is why the company is rapidly converting its fleet to electric.

Electric cars are also equipped with a regenerative braking system. This braking tech harnesses energy when the car slows down and directs it back into the battery. This innovative tech not only adds to the car’s range but also protects the braking components.

Also, most electric cars are so technologically sophisticated that they will warn you in advance of any electrical or mechanical issues. Unlike conventional cars, electric ones come equipped with software to manage various aspects of the car, from battery to navigation to even the tyres! All electric cars come with a ‘Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)’, which keeps you aware of tyre pressure. And there’s a reason for it. Electric cars are a bit harder on tyres as its acceleration is faster and the overall weight of the car is higher.

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Unlike mechanical components, the software in an EV can be easily updated, making it future-proof.

But most EV owners are more concerned about their car’s battery than anything else, and rightfully so because the battery is the costliest part (almost 50% of the total cost) of an electric car. To address these concerns, all EV manufacturers have invested the most in battery tech. EV battery longevity is getting better with every passing year. In India, most automakers offer a warranty of 8 years on the battery. Some automakers are offering extended warranties for an extra cost.

(Note: EV owners need to follow a series of periodic checks to keep the vehicle’s warranty in effect.)

Below we show you some personal experiences shared by electric car owners on social forum Reddit:

Conclusion:

For people looking for lower maintenance costs and peace of mind, an electric car comes across as an obvious choice. By carefully following the car company’s recommendations, EV owners can not only enjoy greener drives, but also maintain the resale value of the car in the long run.