How to maintain and repair the electric car

Electric cars are true concentrates of technology and it is reasonable to expect them to be more expensive to repair and maintain than their internal combustion counterparts; however, in reality, they are decidedly less onerous to maintain thanks to the absence of a multitude of mechanical components often subject to wear and tear over time.

This aspect, of course, does not exclude the owner of a green vehicle from carry out proper maintenance, but what needs to be done in practice?

Which parts of an electric car need maintenance?

As we have already mentioned, it is unlikely that the electric motor (or motors if there is an all-wheel drive) requires attention. Petrol and diesel engines have thousands of moving parts that can be damaged or broken, while electric motors are quite simple and in most cases consist of very few parts.

It is therefore not necessary to change the oil, analyze the various engine filters or replace the belt. The only check that an electric car undergoes is the diagnostic one, which reveals any error codes that may require more attention. The only aspect common to internal combustion cars concerns the battery which, in the case of electric cars, is much more sophisticated and therefore requires a more in-depth analysis.

Inside a Skoda Wagon iV Plug-in The transmission is also virtually maintenance-free on most electric vehicles; almost all manufacturers, in fact, declare that the component is "sealed for life" and does not require special maintenance except for the use of specific oils. A very different speech compared to the numerous systems present in endothermic cars, often assisted by double clutch discs, which are decidedly complex and expensive to replace.

Like traditional cars, electric vehicles have a cooling system which in this case keeps the battery at the optimum temperature regardless of the load or ambient temperature. Most of the batteries are liquid cooled and require little more than a visual inspection by the specialized technician and possibly a topping up.

For the rest, the checks to be carried out are the same starting from the liquid of the brakes up to the steering wheel and tires.

Where can I have my electric car repaired?

Although the electric car has drastically fewer moving parts, the presence of systems very high voltage electrical appliances require maintenance by a specialist. As with all newly purchased new vehicles, it is always advisable to go to a partner workshop that can maintain the vehicle's warranty status. Not all electric car manufacturers allow this procedure, therefore it is recommended to go directly to the dealer where there will be a highly qualified specialist capable of handling your vehicle.

We always recommend contacting the office and making an appointment in when it is not guaranteed that that particular concessionaire will be able to carry out all the necessary checks; let us always remember that electric cars are still relatively new and this aspect should not be taken for granted.

Electric car maintenance intervals

As with all cars on the road, it is always advisable to carry out periodic and scheduled checks in order to have a vehicle that is always safe and healthy. Each manufacturer reports different times, often also linked to the total distance. For example, Nissan with Leaf provides for a check once a year or every 15 thousand km, whichever comes first. For Porsche the service must be carried out every 2 years (or 15 thousand km) while for Tesla the first check takes place within 2 years and concerns the brake fluid and the cabin filter.

On the Peugeot e-208 the the first coupon is set at 12,500 km (or 1 year) and all subsequent ones every 25 thousand km (or 2 years). The brake fluid and cabin filter are replaced every 2 years while the coolant requires a renewal every 4 years (or 125,000 km).

Service costs for electric cars and maintenance plans

Thanks to the absence of fewer organs to control, the labor cost of an electric vehicle can be much lower than that of an endothermic vehicle. In some cases, according to our research and experience, the final price for a single service can be as much as half of a car of the same category equipped with combustion fuel.

And the maintenance of hybrid cars?

Although hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars share some of the technology of their electric sisters, such as engines and lithium-ion batteries, internal combustion powertrains are also present. Consequently, the maintenance costs and the checks to be done are practically identical to those of the ICE cars.