A Complete Guide to Electric Cars

The main difference between the care of an Electric Cars and a gasoline car is that there’s less of it. Lacking an internal burning engine, there are far fewer parts in an Electric Cars to need restoration or replacement. The running joke among Electric Cars owners is that all you need to maintain are windshield washer fluid and air in the tires but there is certainly more to do than that.

Maintenance Overview

The basics that Electric Cars share with gas vehicles like wheels and brakes do need maintaining. Filters get dirty. Taillights burn out. As with any machine with moving parts, lubrication is required to make the car run, well, fluidly. Coolants are needed so that parts don’t overheat.

Batteries

The battery pack is the most expensive component in an Electric Cars, and replacing it can wipe out the average lifetime savings of $4,600 in maintenance costs for owning an Electric Car. A replacement battery for a Nissan Leaf, for example, can cost $5,500 plus installation fees.

Despite worries about having to replace expensive lithium-ion batteries, however, an Electric Car battery is likely to outlast the rest of the vehicle, especially if you take care of it properly, and that likelihood is bound to increase. Unlike internal combustion engines, which haven’t changed much in the past 40 years, new developments in Electric Car battery chemistry (such as lithium iron phosphate) hold out the promise of extending the lifetime of Electric Car batteries to more than a million miles.

The lithium-ion battery that fuels an Electric Car is sealed for safety reasons, and any maintenance should be performed by a professional. An Electric Car battery is actually a pack of thousands of individual lithium-ion cells, with electronics and a thermal cooling system tying them all together. The thermal cooling system has coolants that need flushing periodically; Electric Car batteries have long warranties, so this may be covered under your warranty.

Tires

As with internal combustion vehicles, Electric Cars have tires, rotors, shocks, struts, driveshafts, and boots that periodically need regular rotation, inspection, maintenance, or replacement. Maintaining proper tire pressure and tread depth is important on any car but may be more even more so on an Electric Car.

Electric Cars have instant torque (rotational force of the wheels), which on slippery roads can increase the likelihood of spinning. And Electric Cars are, on average, heavier than comparable gas-powered cars in the same category, so once the vehicle begins to slide, it may be more difficult to control. Proper tire maintenance, a good set of snow tires in the winter (where applicable), and sensible driving habits can prevent slippage.

Brakes

Since electric vehicles primarily use regenerative braking rather than traditional friction brakes, discs and pads are subject to less wear and tear. While Tesla CEO Elon Musk has tweeted that “brake pads on a Tesla literally never need to be replaced for the lifetime of the car,” brake pads can still wear out, depending on how you drive. Even the Tesla Model 3 Owner’s Manual recommends replacing worn brake pads. Brake drums, linings, hoses, and fluid also need regular inspection.

Motor

Compared to an internal combustion engine, an electric motor is a rather simple machine that will in all likelihood never need replacing. Most electric vehicles have a single multi-speed motor, meaning there’s no transmission that shifts the vehicle between multiple gears. (Some Electric Cars have two to four motors, but power is distributed electronically between them rather than through shifting gears.) That means no transmission fluid, at least in the traditional sense.

Electric Cars do have a reduction gearbox—which some people call a transmission between the motor and the wheels that need lubrication which even Electric Car manufacturers may call “transmission fluid.” Usually, the gearbox is sealed, so a qualified mechanic will need to perform inspection and maintenance on it.

Climate Control

While gas-powered vehicles draw heat from the engine to heat the car, Electric Cars use either resistance heaters that draw their energy from the battery, or highly efficient heat pumps that, in general, need less maintenance. Cooling the vehicle tends to work the same, with an air conditioning compressor that needs refrigerant inspected and air filters periodically replaced.

Software Upgrades

Electric Cars run on electrons, so keeping your electronics updated is more important in an Electric Car than in a gas-powered vehicle. Software and firmware upgrades can increase the efficiency of an Electric Car, add new features, or increase the vehicle’s electronic security. Some Electric Car manufacturers offer over-the-air updates, just as you would get for other digital devices. For many vehicles, this requires being within range of your home wifi. Other manufacturers require a visit to the dealership to perform upgrades.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How long do Electric Car last?

It’s often said that electric car batteries last anywhere from 10 to 20 years, but the cars themselves only last about a decade. With s being so new to the mainstream, it’s impossible to calculate an average lifespan just yet.

• Do electric vehicles need servicing?

Electric Cars do need to be serviced occasionally. Regular Electric Car services include tire pressure checks, windshield wiper replacement, and brake fluid changes.

• Do electric car need oil changes?

Electric car don’t use engine oil like gas-powered cars do, so there’s no need for Electric Car owners to get regular oil changes. Electric Cars may use oil (or the equivalent of “transmission fluid”) inside their reduction gearboxes, which need to be checked and potentially changed over the car’s lifespan.