How often do you need to service an EV?

Many electric cars will come with a service plan, which will outline how often your EV will need servicing. You will find that you will be servicing your electric car less often than you would a petrol/diesel car.

Most electric cars will also come with a warranty, within the time period you will be able to take your car to a dealership of your car’s manufacturer and have it serviced there. After your warranty is up you will need to look elsewhere. Many garages throughout the UK now carry out services on electric cars.

What needs servicing?

Battery
Most batteries will last 8 years or longer, and you will find that your battery will need hardly any maintenance, although if you do feel like there is a problem you should have it checked over.

Brakes
Your brake pads and discs will need to be replaced over time, as they will wear down due to braking. Electric vehicles use regenerative braking, and this is known to lower the wear and tear that occurs during braking.

Coolant
Your electric car will need topping up with coolant when it begins to run low, as the coolant is important for keeping the battery cool.

Motor
Like the battery, the motor in your electric vehicle will hardly need any maintenance. Make sure you check the recommended amount of time you should leave between service checks. Your car manufacturer should be able to supply you with this information.

Oil
Like the coolant, the oil will need replenishing when it is running low. Having enough oil in your car is important as it helps in the transmission process of your electric car.

Suspension
Electric cars are usually heavier than a petrol or diesel car, due to the battery. Due to this increased weight, there is an added pressure on the car’s springs and dampers, and therefore they may require a little maintenance.

Tyres
The tyres on your electric car will also be affected by this increase in weight, as the added pressure can increase wear on your tyres. Make sure you check the tread depth of your tyres to make sure they are still within the legal limit of a minimum of 1.6 millimetres. You need to measure this around the tyres’ entire circumference and across the central three quarters of the tread.

For safety reasons, if your tyre tread depth reaches 3 millimetres it is time to replace your tyres.