EV Maintenance: Simple. Cheap. Clean.
By John HIgham, EVA Board of Directors, VP Media Outreach
What do you think of when I say “car maintenance?” Oil changes? Perhaps an air filter or a smog check? Those are typical items, but then there are the big ticket items like transmission flushes, timing belts and so on. We’ve all been there. Car maintenance is one of the requirements of living in the modern world.
Or is it? What if I told you that the only regular maintenance you needed to pay attention to was topping off your windshield washer fluid?
Peeking under the hood of an EV — fewer moving parts, fewer fluids
EVs come with far fewer maintenance items than an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) car. Why is that? Here are the primary mechanical & systems differences between EVs and gasoline vehicles:
EV advantages
No engine oil, no oil filters, no spark plugs, no timing belt, no air intake filters, no fuel injectors or related fuel-system filters. No Muffler or exhaust system. According to Argonne National Lab, essentially, the big headliner parts of a gas car are gone.
Regenerative braking in modern EVs reduces brake pad and rotor wear, meaning brake maintenance is required much less often.
Simpler drive train: fewer mechanical linkages, fewer ancillary moving parts. That means fewer things to wear out.
What still needs care (for both EV and ICE)
Tires: EVs often weigh more (battery packs), which can lead to somewhat faster tire wear or different wear patterns.
The battery in an EV does have a cooling system, which requires maintenance, typically about once every 5~10 years, depending on manufacturer recommendations. Conceptually, this isn't too different from a radiator flush for an ICE, but the frequency is significantly less for the EV’s battery.
Software updates are increasingly common for all types of cars. Over the air updates (OTA) are increasingly popular because your car can stay current without leaving your driveway.
Battery management checks are typically a dealer only service item, but are typically only required annually or less.
Cabin air filters. Most modern cars filter the air inside. Every time you run the heat or AC, you're filtering the air inside the cabin and these needs to be changed roughly annually.
In general, routine maintenance for an EV focuses less on oil and belts and more on system health indicators (battery-coolant level, battery health monitoring) that is increasingly accessed remotely.
The takeaway? While EVs are not maintenance-free, the maintenance regimen is dramatically simpler and less frequent, which directly translates to less expensive.
Real data: How much can you save?
According to Consumer Reports, a lot. EV owners spend ~50% less on maintenance & repair than comparable gas-car owners. ($0.03/mile for EV vs $0.06/mile for ICE). ‘Nuff said.
What about the elephant in the room? What if the battery fails?
It is responsible to ask: “If the battery fails? If an EV needs an expensive drive system part?”
Here’s what the data tell us. An InsideEVs report shows that EVs once again have the advantage with EVs having 1.7 “powertrain breakdowns” per 1,000 vehicles in 2022 vs gas vehicles at 5.4 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles.
It needs to be noted that, in the US at least, the battery is considered to be part of the powertrain, and a failure of that is covered under manufacturer's warranty which typically run for at least 8 years and 100k miles.
What does this mean for you?
More uptime: Less mandatory service translates directly to more uptime.
Predictable servicing: “fill washer fluid, inspect tires” becomes your default service setting, and for many people, this can be annual.
Lower annual cost: maintenance savings free up budget for things that are your priority, not your car’s odometer priority.
Follow manufacturer-scheduled maintenance: Even though fewer tasks are required, stick to the intervals for battery system check, coolant, brakes, tires.
Conclusion
In the transition from “gas-car maintenance myopia” to “EV convenience and readiness,” understanding the maintenance advantage is a key piece of the puzzle. While EVs are not completely maintenance-free, they dramatically simplify the car owning experience.
Drive farther. Maintain less. Whether it’s a weekend getaway or a cross-country adventure, your EV is ready when you are.