There are tons of benefits to owning a fully electric car. First, there is the environmental factor, of course, then there is the lack of expensive gasoline and a total absence of toxic fume emission. This all leads to a cheaper, ongoing maintenance cost as well. It takes less money and effort to keep these electric cars running smoothly and trouble free. Of course, this is somewhat offset by the higher initial investment when actually purchasing an electric car, however in he long run, generally they will be cheaper to operate and maintain. Additionally, there are often government subsidies and tax breaks offered in order to sweeten the deal.
Because there are fewer moving parts, electric cars have a lower need for regular check up. however there a few things that should be monitored regularly.
1. Battery maintenance
Batteries in electric cars are huge and take up most of the space under the hood. They are complex, technical marvels but actually need very little care. There is no day to day need to keep an eye on it. It is understood that with time the battery’s capacity will decrease, meaning that it will not be able to charge as fully as it used to. In result, this can reduce the mileage over time. When this reduction is noticed, it should be time to start considering a replacement. Although with a typical eight year warranty (and expected life time), this is not an initial concern for many electric car owners.
2. Brake wear
Electric cars use what is known as the regenerative braking system, which means that they are able to harness energy from the parts stored in the system for later use. This actually means that brakes (rotors and pads) will wear much less than a conventional car, lasting twice as long. This means that brake maintenance, although still required, is reduced.
3. Tire wear
This is a standard type of care for any vehicle and it makes sense to inspect tires and tire pressure on electric cars as well. It should be noted that electric cars are typically heavier than conventional ones (because of battery weight) and thus, are harder on tires. Premature wear is possible and this makes tire check an important part of regular car care.
4. Update software
This is not something typically done on conventional cars, but updating software can be critical in electric cars. There could be major updates, improving battery life or car performance for example. Thus, it is very important to include software updates in the regular car care.