Electric car maintenance is not a concept many are familiar with. Since, unlike the conventional car, it has fewer moving parts and no engine, most people rarely have anything to say about electric car maintenance.

Conventional cars need a lot more maintenance than electric cars. Every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, the engine oil and filter need to be changed. The tires need to be rotated and replaced when they wear out. The brake pads and, eventually, the rotors need to be replaced. There’s checking the brake, power steering, transmission, and coolant fluids, among others. It is also necessary to check the hoses, belts, and seals and sometimes replace them. Every few years, windshield wipers and batteries have to be replaced.

Electric vehicles (EV) on the other hand require a lot less maintenance to function optimally. Electric cars brakes are more durable than those of conventional cars. They use regenerative brakes which affect brake pads much less than other brake systems. Electric cars’ batteries need little or no maintenance. They are built to function optimally for a period of 8 – 10 years, or 100,000 miles, and they come with a warranty. Moreover, electric cars cost less to keep and maintain compared to conventional vehicles that use gasoline or petroleum.

Maintenance and servicing of electric cars

Maintenance of electric cars revolves mainly around 3 components: tires, air filters and batteries.

1. Tires

The air in the tires must be checked. Well-inflated tires guarantee better mileage. They must be checked for wear which may eventually lead to the car requiring a wheel alignment, depending on the wear on the tire tread. 

1. Air filter and windshield 

The air filter inside the car must be checked to ensure top A/C output. Windshield wiper blades have to be checked, and more added to the windshield wiper fluid to ensure clear vision. 

1. Battery 

Parking an electric car directly under the sun is dangerous for its battery life. The best parking space is to park under a shed such that the car temperature is still comfortable even on a hot day. 

The car’s thermal management system will react to the heat and keep working under the sun. Thus the battery would lose power while under the sun. This can also cause the car battery to overheat. Charging under the sun makes it difficult for the battery to charge quickly.

Overcharging the battery is a wrong step that must be avoided. A safe rule of thumb is to charge it only to 80% every time. On the flip side, leaving the battery with little or no charge is not safe for the battery’s health. A safe principle is not to leave the battery at a low charge for more than two weeks straight. 

Electric cars maintenance schedule 

Every 30 days 

• Check the pressure in the tires. 
• Check the tires for too much wear. 
• Check the washer fluid and add more if needed.

Every 7,500 miles

• Have the tires rotated.
• Check the battery’s coolant level. 
• Check the heater, power inverter, accessory power, and charger modules. 
• Check the brakes, steering, suspension, and chassis parts for damage or wear that doesn’t seem normal. 
• Check for wear on the power steering and the drive shafts. 
• Lubricate the door locks and look for signs of wear on the gas struts. 
• Check the car’s different light bulbs and replace them if needed.

Every 15,000 miles

• Change the windshield wiper blades.

Every 36,000 miles

• Get a new cabin air filter.

Every 75,000 miles

• Change the suspension gas struts.
• Empty and service the coolant circuits.

Notwithstanding the fact that electric cars cost a lot more than conventional cars, their maintenance only needs little effort and it costs way less than traditional cars. Electrical cars are becoming more popular than ever and in places such as the UK, the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will be banned. Used cars, however, will still be allowed to be sold and bought after 2030.