How does the maintenance and servicing of electric cars compare to conventional cars?
With new electric cars being released seemingly every other month, consideration is given to how they will hold up in the long run and how their upkeep and maintenance compare to that of their petrol and diesel brethren.
The push towards electrification in the automotive sector has seen electric vehicles (EV) become more prominent. Even here in South Africa, with our unique set of geographical and infrastructure challenges, the EV trend continues to grow. We're not quite yet at the stage of mass adoption as EVs still tend to be priced rather steeply, as is to be expected with any new technology.
Related: When will electric cars be cheaper?
Despite the high initial purchase price, it has been shown time and time again that EVs are more affordable to maintain in the long run. The cost per kilometre is significantly lower when compared to your traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, both diesel and petrol. As the technology improves, we're seeing ICE-like ranges made available from the battery systems in EVs, countering the arguments around feasibility in South Africa, where our business centres tend to be spaced further apart than in other areas of the world.
With this in mind, the arguments for EV ownership become stronger. The question around servicing and maintenance remains, though, and much of this is down to a lack of education, as the EV operation principles vary from those of ICE vehicles.
How does EV maintenance compare to ICE maintenance?
While from the outside they may look rather similar, EVs are considerably different under the sheet metal. You can dive deeper into how they work here. In short, there's no engine in an EV and the propulsion system consists of a battery pack, an electric motor, a control unit for said motor and a reduction gearbox. Most EVs will have the motors situated on the axles themselves to reduce the inherent loss when sending power through lengthy shafts.
As such, there are very few moving parts in the powertrain of an EV and, therefore, almost nothing that needs maintenance. Owners will be required to monitor the following though:
- Windscreen washer fluid
- Tyre tread
- Windscreen wipers
Electric car services versus Internal Combustion Engine
The same applies to services. There's very little to service on an electric car, and service intervals will be indicated by the onboard computer in many of the EVs on the market today. The service intervals (if not dictated by the OBC) will be set at 30 000 km as there is very little to address as the vehicle starts racking up the mileage. Where petrol or diesel vehicles will need to be serviced every 15 000 km or more often, EV owners can expect to visit their dealership once every two years or so.
The costs are also relatively low as the only items that could require attention are the brakes, suspension, and hinges. Typically, an EV service will replace the pollen filter, check the brakes and tyres, and lubricate the door and boot hinges.
Even the brakes have been shown to last longer than expected, with this being attributed to the electric motor being used to slow the vehicle down, regenerating electrical charge while doing so. The actual brakes themselves are often only used to come to a complete stop.
Many Ev owners have been surprised at the lack of mileage that they have been able to get from a set of tyres, though. Two factors see an EV use tyres at a more rapid rate; the increased torque generated by the electric drivetrain and the vehicle's additional weight. This can be countered by driving more sensibly, though and not using full throttle at every given opportunity.
Some EVs employ reduction gearboxes, and these will have oil-based lubrication. This is not a volatile environment, and this oil seldom needs changing. Technicians will most likely check this oil level at a service, along with any other liquid cooling systems that may be present in the vehicle.
Conclusion
According to surveys conducted by fleet management analysts in the USA and Europe, EVs are approximately 50-60% more cost-effective to run over some time when compared to ICE vehicles. The simplicity of EVs means that services are almost a thing of the past, and they require very little in the way of maintenance. Most EVs are sold with an 8-year warranty on the battery, often exceeding the warranty offered on the rest of the vehicle itself. Studies have also shown that most battery systems will still retain a usable lifespan at the 8-year mark (based on the battery life deemed acceptable by the manufacturer) and will continue to operate without issue for many years after the warranty has lapsed.
