Does Your EV Need Regular Oil Or Lubrication Change
EV salespeople might tell you the EV needs little or no maintenance, this is not completely true
Electric cars have motors (not an engine that is powered by diesel or petrol) and it is powered by a battery pack. Just like with any radio control toy car.
Even though the lubricants and electric powertrain are designed to last as long as the battery, you still need to consider the health of the (electric vehicle) EV gearbox and electric motor, which both require lubrication.
If systems are malfunctioning, there could be a faulty part or an improper battery drain. However, any electric car maintenance tasks don’t need to be done often, which does allow for less maintenance and ownership costs.
Since electric vehicles are so new and the technology is still emerging, there is no set period of time to have these maintenance tasks performed. It is recommended that you get an “EV check-up” at least once a year to make sure everything is working properly and systems are operating correctly.
If you drive more than 20,000 kilometers a year with your electric car, you might want to schedule a bi-annual drivetrain check-up. This way, you can be sure that nothing is improperly draining your EV battery life which will help extend the life of your EV battery as long as possible.
NOTE: Only trained electric car technicians can maintain your vehicle and you cannot visit your regular mechanic. The wiring used in all electric vehicles are very dangerous and special gloves and tools are required.
While the electric motors will not need conventional oil, there are other maintenance tasks to consider regularly. Note that every EV model and manufacturer are not using the same technology.
Interestingly, EV manufacturers may employ different technologies and operating systems in their own vehicles as well as what’s used in competing vehicles (think Tesla Model 3 vs. Nissan Leaf), which may affect the maintenance.
Be wary of your EV battery warranty as well. If you are experiencing any problems at all, make sure to have them handled before the warranty expires because right now and in the near future, EV batteries are very expensive to replace.
Meanwhile, most electric car manufacturers offer 8-10 years limited warranties but that doesn’t mean you won’t have any issues.
Don’t get stuck with a malfunctioning EV battery outside of your battery warranty as it might cost you more to fix/replace the battery than you originally paid for the car brand new.
