The electric car has experienced an unprecedented boom in recent years and the result of this is the ever-increasing supply on the market, covering all kinds of sizes, ranges and tasks. But is it really cheaper to maintain?
Electric cars flood the market, advertising campaigns and, of course, the media. They illustrate the new revolution in the automotive sector and they have definitely come to stay despite still needing much evolution to match the performance and practicality of cars equipped with a heat engine in many common areas of use.
But there are other aspects in which the electric car is a clear advantage over conventional cars. Or not? It is widely accepted that the owner of an electric vehicle enjoys a much lower maintenance cost, but we are going to check on what reality this statement is based.
Maintenance of the motor, electronics and charger
We have already talked to you on other occasions about key aspects of the electric car from the point of view of consumption or the environment, but it is equally important to know the level of expense that owning one will imply.
One of the main arguments in favor of the electric vehicle in terms of maintenance is precisely its motor, which is much simpler than that of a conventional vehicle with a combustion engine.
And it is a totally valid argument, since the traditional engine is formed by thousands of parts subjected to friction and high temperatures that make it a highly complex and sophisticated element.
The motor, electronics and integrated charging system of an electric vehicle are maintenance-free
This, in turn, translates into the need for a periodic maintenance and replacement of partsWell, no matter how much and well you take care of yourself, sooner or later the filters, the oil, the clutch or the timing belt, among many other parts, will have to be replaced.
The electric motor, on the other hand, does not need maintenance as it does not have moving parts subject to friction or high temperatures. In addition, although the electric car as we know it today is very recent, the reality is that it is a well proven technology and that it was invented even before the combustion engine, but that for various reasons fell into oblivion for decades.
The same can be said of electronics and integrated charging system in the electric vehicle, as they do not require any maintenance.
Battery maintenance
The second key element of an electric car is the batteries, which give it the necessary autonomy. Although batteries deteriorate and must be replaced over the years (more than 10 today), do not require maintenance, so in that sense they do not generate an extra cost to the owner. Also, the better you use it, the longer it will last.
What we cannot ignore is that changing the batteries, if the day comes before having changed cars, is considerable. An example is the price of new 58 kWh batteries for a Volkswagen ID.3, which is around the 14,500 euros. Or those of a 33 kWh BMW i3, which cost about 8,300 euros.
Common elements
From there, the maintenance of an electric car and a thermal one is practically the same, since both the running gear, the suspensions, the brakes, etc., are the same as any other car (Although brakes take longer to degrade thanks to regenerative braking technology found in electrics).
The classics maintenance operations Regarding the shock absorbers, the tires, the pollen filter or the windshield wipers, they will be exactly the same regardless of the type of vehicle, as they will depend on our habits of use.
The maintenance of an electric car according to Hyundai.
What does change is the maintenance and control of electrical connections of a battery-powered vehicle, as its system is notably more complex, requiring its own maintenance plan, specialized labor and specific tools. This will be an extra cost in relation to conventional cars.
The maintenance plan
Having said all this, it is time to establish a real reference between maintenance plans, for which we have taken as an example the one that Volkswagen recommends for the Golf, which has all kinds of mechanics.
For both the Golf with combustion engine and the electric, the recommended service period is two years or 30,000 km. Of course, the number of operations is notably lower in the case of electric:
Data extracted from the official data of the brand (click to see document .pdf).
This results in an average cost of between 3,600 and 4,000 euros for a conventional Golf throughout its first 12 years of life. On the other hand, an electric Golf will mean a average expenditure of about 1,300 euros in the same period and provided that none of them suffer unscheduled breakdowns.
Obviously, these amounts are only indicative and depend to a large extent on the use that is given to the vehicle and the establishment in which the maintenance is carried out, because even being official, prices vary from one workshop to another.
Thus, to the question of whether the maintenance of an electric car is cheaper, the resounding answer is that Yes it is. As long as we obviate that in a period of between 8 and 15 years we will have to change the batteries, of course.