Do Electric Cars Need Servicing? What Actually Gets Checked
One of the things people are told when they buy an electric car is that it hardly needs any maintenance. There is some truth in that: an EV has no engine oil to change, no spark plugs, no cambelt, no clutch and no exhaust. But "less" is not "none", and some of the things that do need checking on an EV catch owners out precisely because they were not expecting them.
What an EV does not need
An electric motor has a handful of moving parts compared to the hundreds in a petrol or diesel engine. So the oil and filter change, the air filter, the fuel filter, the spark plugs, the cambelt and the clutch all disappear from the schedule. That is where the savings come from, and they are real.
What an EV still needs
- Brakes. This is the one that surprises people. Because an EV slows itself using the motor (regenerative braking), the friction brakes are used far less than on a normal car. That sounds like good news, and for pad wear it is. But brake discs that are rarely used rust, and calipers that rarely move can seize. We regularly see EVs with corroded discs and sticking rear brakes, and both are MOT failures. Checking, cleaning and freeing the brakes is a standard part of an EV service.
- Tyres. An EV is heavy and delivers its torque instantly, so tyres wear faster than most owners expect. We check tread depth, pressures and uneven wear, which on an EV is often the first sign of an alignment problem.
- Cabin filter. Still there, still needs changing.
- Battery coolant. The high-voltage battery and the motor are liquid-cooled on most EVs, and the coolant has a service life like any other. Some models also have a small amount of oil in the reduction gearbox.
- The 12-volt battery. Every EV still has a conventional 12-volt battery that runs the electronics and is what actually "wakes the car up". When it fails the car will not start, even with a full main battery. It is one of the most common EV breakdown causes.
- High-voltage system checks. An inspection of the high-voltage cabling, connectors and insulation, and a check of the battery's state of health through the diagnostic port.
- Suspension and steering. The extra weight puts more load on bushes, ball joints and shock absorbers.
- Software. Many faults on an EV are fixed with a software update rather than a part. We can read the system for stored fault codes and pending updates.
Do electric cars need an MOT?
Yes. An EV needs an MOT from its third birthday, then every year, exactly like any other car. The test is the same apart from the emissions check, which does not apply. Brakes, tyres, lights, suspension, steering, wipers and the structure are all inspected.
How often should an EV be serviced?
Most manufacturers recommend an annual service or a two-year interval with an inspection in between. As with any car, your warranty depends on that schedule being kept, so check what your manufacturer specifies and we will work to it.
We service and MOT electric and hybrid vehicles at our branches, with technicians trained to work safely on high-voltage systems. Enter your registration when you book and we will show the services that apply to your car.
Book online at bestgarages.co.uk or call your nearest branch: Newport on 01983 533360, Lymington on 01590 674776, or Fordingbridge on 01425 561504.