With fewer moving parts to keep track of or potentially break, electric vehicle maintenance is far less involved than its gas-burning counterparts. But less maintenance doesn’t mean zero maintenance. There are still plenty of routine inspections and tasks you’ll need to complete after buying an electric car in NZ. To ensure your EV doesn’t spit the dummy, we have created the ultimate guide to caring for your EV.
New Technology, Same Maintenance
While EVs and petrol cars get power from different places, they still have four doors, four wheels, and many of the same maintenance requirements. Here are a few electric vehicle maintenance tasks you’ll still have to keep an eye on to ensure a long and smooth ride.
Keep an Eye on Brake Fluid and Pads
EVs and petrol cars rely on brake fluid, and replacing this fluid at regular intervals is necessary no matter how your wheels get their power. The brake pads themselves will also need regular inspections. However, the good news is that EVs ought to eat through pads and rotors much slower than their fuel-guzzling counterparts. This is due to the regenerative braking feature of EVs that uses the electric motor to slow down the car instead of traditional friction brakes.
Treat Tyre Wear with Care
Despite being packed with the latest automotive technology, EVs still require wheels. We haven’t quite reached hover car status yet! Electric vehicle maintenance often requires more attention to tyres than petrol models. EV tyres tend to whittle down faster due to the extra weight these vehicles carry in their batteries. The tyres will also have less tread depth, as this is a common method to help boost range figures leading to faster wearing.
Suspension Systems Still Need Maintaining
Electric cars aren’t too different to regular models and will still have suspension components that eventually need maintenance or replacement. This includes shocks, struts, and control arms. So just like a petrol car, electric vehicle maintenance should include routine inspections of the car’s suspension system.
Maintenance Specific to EVs
Battery Maintenance
On average, EV batteries have a service life of around 12 to 15 years and will require next-to-no maintenance in that time. That said, there are several things owners can do to squeeze as much juice out of their EV’s battery as possible.
Steer Clear of Extreme Temperature
Extreme temperatures are kryptonite to EV batteries. To help maintain a healthy battery temperature, automakers install auxiliary cooling and heating systems during the development of their EVs. But that shouldn’t stop you from avoiding exposing your vehicle to any extreme conditions.
Avoid Using Fast Chargers All the Time
Rapid chargers may be convenient when you need to get somewhere in a hurry, but they can also degrade your battery packs at faster rates. While it isn’t precisely known just how much these chargers impact battery life, we do know that they have a negative effect when overused. Of course, fast charging is necessary for many situations, and there’s no reason to avoid it entirely. Simply limiting your use is more than enough.
Do Not Fully Charge or Deplete the Battery
Batteries also degrade faster when charged or depleted fully. Most EV cars will have their charging set to a level of less than 100%, and EV manufacturers across the board recommend charging to 85 to 90 per cent full. Fighting the allure of whole numbers and avoiding full charging is essential when looking after your battery.
Inspect Your Charging Ports Regularly
When your phone or laptop isn’t charging right, the first thing you do is give the charging port a good clean. The same applies to your EV. Inspecting and cleaning the charging port is essential to ensure proper vehicle charging. A dirty or damaged charging port can affect the charging process and result in a shorter range.
Take Care of Your EV with Portage Cars
One of the many advantages of owning an EV lies in its easy maintenance. Electric vehicle maintenance is far less intensive than petrol models and will drastically reduce your time spent at the mechanics.
Portage Cars is steering Kiwi drivers into the future with a range of electric cars for sale in NZ. Browse our range online or visit one of our showrooms across the country.
