The workshops will have to adapt to the new needs of electric cars and change the work modes to the technology of electric cars
When buying an electric car, we find several advantages. It consumes electricity, and today, it is cheaper than fossil fuels. Besides, this allows it to be a much more efficient vehicle and has no pollutant gas emissions. The absence of traditional mechanics also allows the breakdowns to be greatly reduced and not have to go through the workshop.
An electric car does not use elements that are common in internal combustion cars. For example, we forget about the clutch, spark plugs, preheaters, or exhaust pipes, or timing belt that has to be changed. They are cars that have other elements and that yes, they will also break down when they touch, and they will have to go through the scheduled inspection for their maintenance, but all this will reduce, and with this, the workshop bill will decrease. Or not?
Fewer breakdowns, but more expensive to repair
The visit to the workshop may be rarer in the case of electric cars, but each breakdown will cost more. The specialization will be very high in the workshops, and to be able to work with these new electric traction systems, the mechanics will have to be up to date with all the novelties that are appearing. The lack of a standard in electric cars is another handicap that mechanics will encounter when electric cars are the norm and not an exception as now.
Also, there is another thing that did not usually take into account, and that is important to remember: electricity is a silent, invisible, and very dangerous source of energy. It is present in the car stored by the battery, but it moves throughout the car, feeding the electric motors and the systems of the car, so it represents a danger if a hit occurs. The security is very important, and therefore equipping the workshops will have to change and to adapt the new risks posed by electric cars.
The battery, a problem for maintenance
The battery itself is also a problem when performing maintenance. The duration of this important element of the electric car today is about five years. This result means that it will have to replace at the end of its useful life, which represents an added cost. The cars are currently sold in two modes: with the battery in ownership and with the battery in the rental regime.
The owners of electric vehicles will have to choose whether they want the battery owned or leased. In the first case, the owner will have to buy the new battery, assuming the cost and all the complications involved in the change. In the second, it will be the brand who is responsible for the maintenance of the battery during its useful life and who changes it when necessary. To do this, you have to think that you pay a fee that joins the price of the car.
The advantage of the second model, the rental one, is that the battery brand will be of the same brand as the car so that compatibility will be assured. It is also true that when electric mobility popularized, there will be a greater supply of ” white label ” batteries for all models, which could greatly reduce the cost.
The reduction of mechanical breakdowns and the maintenance performed by specialized workshops could mean a change in the market of the mechanical workshops, which can see how their turnover reduced. Of course, for this to come, there is still a lot left, and we know that there are other alternative fuels that are growing strongly, such as Compressed Natural Gas or Liquefied Petroleum Gases, among other options. The future arrives uncertain, but always thinking of improving vehicles and making them more efficient.