Is there any difference between Electric and Gas-run car maintenance?
Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular. Despite the fact that it may still be hard to find a charging point or service centre for your EV, the ongoing fuel crisis, as well as growing environmental awareness worldwide, will probably lead to the fact that EVs will become mainstream vehicles worldwide in the observable future.
But what do we really know about electric cars, their maintenance, and the difference between them and the gas-run vehicles we are used to? In this article, we shall talk about things everyone should consider before switching to an EV and the main difference between electric and internal combustion engine vehicles.
Why is an EV’s maintenance different?
The engine is the heart and soul of any vehicle and since EV’s engine is so different from the one that you have in your gas-run car, so is the vehicle’s overall maintenance.
On the one hand, getting an EV will spare you from the main vehicle maintenance rituals such as oil check and change, replacement of the air filters, spark plugs, drive belts, or transmission servicing. At the same time, your electric car will need coolant flushes, and refrigerant recharges – the maintenance procedures gas-run cars don’t require. However, these should be done once in about 5 years, which definitely makes the maintenance of an EV look much easier and less expensive.
However, there are the ultimate maintenance procedures every vehicle needs from time to time, no matter what kind of engine it has. For example, you will still need to replace and rotate your tires regularly.
And, of course, you will still have to maintain and replace the brakes. However, due to a different engine type, it will happen much less often than with a gas-run vehicle.
The core difference – is battery maintenance.
The main difference between an EV and gas-run car maintenance might be the way you treat the battery and how much it costs you to replace it when needed.
Bad news, replacement of an electric car’s battery is pretty expensive and can only be done by a certified mechanic. The good news is they are very different from the batteries you are used to seeing in your regular gas-run car. These sophisticated batteries are made to last much longer and come with an extensive warranty.
There are also some peculiarities in the way you are supposed to treat your EV’s battery:
- Avoid extreme temperatures – we all know that extreme heat or cold can impact your car’s battery. Therefore it is highly recommended to park your vehicle at a place where it will not be exposed to direct sunlight or extreme cold. EVs do have special technologies meant to prevent temperature damage to the battery, but they still reduce its lifespan significantly;
- Be careful with charging and don’t run on low – just like with any device that needs charging, keeping your EV plugged in for too long and overcharging it will damage the battery. The same is true for “running on the low” regularly. However, the latest EV models have technologies that prevent these harmful effects;
- Unauthorized fast charging can be dangerous – as appealing as they may be, car “fast charges” can damage your battery, especially if they are not approved by the manufacturer and for your type of EV.
After-collision repairs.
Most people think that it is harder and much more expensive to repair an EV after an accident. In fact, it is not entirely true. On the one hand, after-collision repairs of an electric vehicle do require a different level of expertise as they carry different and sometimes more complex technologies and need different calibration methods afterward. Therefore, the repairs will cost you at least 3-5% more than in the case of a gas-run car.
But at the same time, EVs have fewer systems and therefore carry much smaller damage risks than standard internal combustion engine vehicles. In other words, the chance that you will need some sort of after-collision repairs is much lower.
It is already pretty clear that the future of the automotive industry belongs to electric vehicles, and soon enough, those will be the majority of cars you see on the roads. However, if you need to buy a new car today and choose between an engine-run and an electric vehicle, you should consider many factors, such as the development of infrastructure, accessibility of charging points, and qualified services in your area.
If you are looking for a certified body shop with a professional team of mechanics and experts in their fields, contact OHS Body shop today. Our branches are located all over Montana’s Greater Flathead Valley, in Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Polson. We shall always be happy to answer your questions about car maintenance and repairs and make sure that no matter what kind of car you have, your driving experience will always be safe and comfortable.
