Electric Vehicle Maintenance

Electric Vehicle Maintenance

All-electric vehicles typically require less maintenance than conventional vehicles because:

• The battery, motor, and associated electronics require little to no regular maintenance
• There are fewer fluids, such as engine oil, that require regular maintenance
• Brake wear is significantly reduced due to regenerative braking
• There are far fewer moving parts relative to a conventional fuel engine.

A vehicle that needs few consumables

An electric motor requires much simpler maintenance than an internal combustion engine. With no friction between any moving parts or exchanges between liquids and gases, it needs neither lubricant nor exhaust. This means no oil, filter or exhaust system changes. All this can be taken off the cost of the car’s upkeep. Maintenance therefore involves far fewer mechanical elements than in a combustion-powered car. In fact, the tires, windshield washer fluid, brake pads and air conditioning filters are the only consumables that require regular changing in an electric car.

A small number of parts

The design of the electric car’s motor considerably reduces the number of parts required for it to function. Among these, none are what’s known as “wear parts”, which can affect the running of the motor. So, in an electric vehicle, there’s no timing belt, no cylinder head gasket and no cooling hose—which can all cause engine breakdown when worn. As for traction, these vehicles are reliable over hundreds of thousands of kilometers. For drivers looking for peace of mind as well as easy maintenance, the electric vehicle is an obvious choice. Especially because simplified maintenance doesn’t mean it’s any less thorough: every part in the vehicle is checked by experts within the manufacture’s network.

Less wear on the brakes

Electric cars use two braking systems: first, regenerative braking, which uses the motor as a generator to charge the battery from time to time, then standard braking—with discs or drums and brake pads—which is activated afterwards. This therefore lightens the load on the mechanical braking system and tires, which means that the parts involved need to be replaced less frequently.

A simplified transmission

With no manual gearbox or clutch, the transmission of an electric vehicle is much simpler: unlike a combustion engine, an electric motor delivers direct drive. When the driver presses the accelerator, the battery generates a magnetic field within a fixed part, which then causes a mobile part to rotate. In the electric vehicles produced by Groupe Renault, this latter part is a wound rotor synchronous motor, which increases the energy efficiency of the motor. All breakdowns related to the traditional transmission are therefore avoided, reducing the overall costs of maintenance.

Electric car maintenance is less than conventional car because:

• Electric vehicle eliminate over two-dozen mechanical components that would normally require periodic service (such as tune-ups, oil changes, cooling system flushes, transmission servicing, and replacing the air filter, spark plugs and drive belts). It is a third of conventional vehicle cost (Another report from the Department of Energy explains that the savings are nearly 40% if you buy an EV.). Several converging studies show that the cost to maintain an electric city car is 20-35% lower than that of an equivalent combustion-powered car*, for which repairs, servicing and oil changes can drive up the bill. These notable differences in maintenance costs can be explained, when it comes to the electric vehicle, by the absence of wear parts that require changing regularly as well as no need for major engine repairs.There are far fewer parts and fewer things to go wrong.
• EV eliminates more fluid than internal combustion engine cars.
• There are over 20 commonly serviced components of a regular car engine that EVs don’t need. We’re talking about tune-ups, engine filters, oil changes, spark plugs, drive belts or chains that squeal like crazy, emission (EVAP) system hoses, leaks, O2 sensors, transmission flushes, failing catalytic converters, and more.
• EVs don’t have transmissions. The single electric motor doesn’t have to change and shift gears as speeds increase. As a result, there are no moving parts from the transmission, no tranny fluid, and far fewer things to go wrong.
• The battery, motor, and all electronics to handle the entire system in an electric vehicle require little to no maintenance.

Important components to maintenance:

• Battery. Perhaps the biggest “maintenance” aspect of an electric vehicle is its battery. All EV manufacturers suggest keeping the battery between 20-80% charge for optimal health, which will occasionally be a challenge for some owners. Source of problems: temperature. Most EV manufacturers offer an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty on the battery.
• Tires. EVs are heavier than the equivalent car. You should be rotating the tires with somewhat frequency on any vehicle. Or, in some situations, getting a tire alignment.
• Brake system (pad).  EV driving almost never uses the brakes. There is regenerative braking in EC, but it still has friction braking for emergency.
• Fluids: battery coolant, windshield wiper fluid, and brake fluid.

Below are the EV components that usually need basic maintenance. 

1. Battery pack

The battery packs in electric cars are considered highly robust. However, you should follow the charging and maintenance recommendations given by the manufacturer. Moreover, you can follow these tips for EV battery maintenance.

• Don’t let the battery run out of charge completely.
• Avoid exposure to extremely low or high temperatures for long periods.
• Avoid storing the full charge without driving the car for long periods.

2. Tyres

Your electric car may come with specific tyres that assist with acceleration and make lesser noise. By maintaining your EV tyres, you ensure low rolling resistance, which puts less strain on the battery pack.
You must take these steps to keep your EV tyres in good condition.

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for timely tyre rotation.
• Maintain optimal pressure on the front and rear tyres.
• Look for uneven tread wear and replace worn-out tyres. 

3. Brakes

An electric vehicle usually comes with a regenerative braking system. A regenerative braking system utilises the energy generated from slowing down the car and transfers it to the battery pack. It helps to extend the car’s range and increases the longevity of the braking system.
While EV’s regenerative brakes last longer than the brakes of a conventional-fuel vehicle, you will need to replace a few parts occasionally.

• Change brake fluid from time to time.
• Replace worn-out brake discs and pads.

4. Coolant

Coolants are used in most electric vehicles to cool down battery packs. Typically, you must get a professional to check the condition of the cooling system. Also, you can refer to the user manual regarding the maintenance of your EV’s brakes. 

• Get a technician to check and fix any leakage in the cooling system.
• Follow the EV manufacturer’s recommendations to flush out and top up the coolant periodically.

Oil

EVs do contain oil in the reduction gearbox that may need replacement over a long period of time.

The Fluids

In most cases, your electric car won’t require the same kind of regular oil changes that are needed for gasoline cars. However, there are other fluids in an EV that need periodical checks and, occasionally, require changing. Some of these fluids include the following:

• Battery coolant (for EVs with liquid-cooled batteries).
• Hydraulic brake fluid.
• Transmission fluids (for EVs with transaxles).
• Differential oils (for EVs with transaxles). 
• HVAC refrigerants.

There’s no universal rule for when these fluids need to be checked or changed. You can best consult your car’s owner’s manual for the electric car maintenance schedule.

The Tires and Wheels

Your electric car’s tires and wheels will also require regular maintenance. This includes checking the air pressure, inspecting the treads for wear and tear, and ensuring the wheels are properly aligned.

The Brakes

Electric cars have regenerative braking, which means that the electric motor is used to slow down the car instead of the traditional friction brakes. Even though electric cars have regenerative brakes, it’s still important to check the traditional brakes periodically to ensure they’re in good working order.

The 12V Battery

You might be surprised that your electric vehicle still has an old-school 12V battery. This battery is used to power the car’s lights, infotainment system, and other accessories when the main electric battery is turned off. You’ll need to regularly check the 12V battery to ensure it’s holding a charge. If it’s not, you’ll need to replace it.

Suspension

Keep in mind that electric cars are just like regular cars in many ways—they still have suspension components that will eventually need to be serviced or replaced. This includes shocks, struts, and control arms.

Filters

Yes, pure BEVs don’t have fuel filters, engine air filters, or oil filters. However, they do have cabin filters and HVAC filters that need to be replaced periodically.

Here is a summary of maintenance issues according to the Scotty Kilmer YouTube channel that EV owners need to be aware of toward taking care of their car.

1. Try to maintain the battery level between 20% and 80%---repeated recharging to full and leaving a battery relatively discharged too low, for too long will typically decrease today’s EV batteries.

2. Know the difference between day-to-day driving vs longer road trips---with a long road trip, it is actually preferable to fully charge the battery ahead of time and run it until it is nearly depleted. For shorter trips such as the round trips between home and work, then charging up to 80% is recommended for maintaining good battery life.

3. Batteries do not like extreme heat and cold---heat can cause a battery to degrade prematurely; whereas cold can significantly reduce the range of a battery. For both conditions, when possible, make sure the vehicle is protected from the elements when temperatures are at their extremes.

4. Regenerative braking in EVs results in less brake pad wear, but still needs maintaining---brake pads, discs and brake fluid issues in ICE vehicles carries over to EVs as well. The solid components need to be checked periodically for wear, while the fluid has to be changed over time to prevent absorbed and trapped moisture in the brake fluid from corroding the brake system.

5. Coolant replacement---is needed in EVs just as it does for ICE vehicles. The only difference is that the coolant is used to keep the large EV battery system relatively cooled to prevent battery breakdown and damage. Consult your vehicle’s owners’ manual to find out how often to change your vehicle’s coolant.

6. Tire maintenance---tread wear, balancing, alignment and air pressure are just as critical to monitor and maintain in EVs as they are in ICE vehicles. In fact, the weight of EVs as well as the increased torque and power upon acceleration may cause more rapid wear of your tires than you are used to with your old gas vehicle. It is recommended to use tires designed specifically for EVs.

7. Electric Vehicle gear boxes---the gear boxes in EVs possess moving parts, so it can and will eventually wear out. And while oil changes are more about ICE vehicles, some EV gear boxes rely on oil and will require attention and may need to be changed at some time in their lifespan---just like sealed automatic transmissions in ICE vehicles do.

8. Electric motors---typically have an estimated lifespan of 15-20 years, but only if operated under normal conditions the vehicles were designed for. However, wear does occur and can be exacerbated by moisture, dirt, dust, and driving conditions. Furthermore, over-wear in one system could easily cause damage in another separate system. For example, consider what could happen should a cooling fan become blocked or malfunctioning---battery life and the AC induction motors powering the wheels could be seriously affected by the increased heat. Or, a weakened battery could cause the motors to overdraw on current to keep up with the demand for acceleration, and thereby result in a burned out electric motor or two.