The maintenance of electric cars has been debated many times by car enthusiasts and the commoners alike. There are different notions among the public about the same. Some think that maintaining an electric car will be a heinous task, while some argue that it is far easier than a regular petrol/diesel car. Some say that the availability of mechanics who have expertise in servicing electric cars is rarely found, while others say that the companies themselves provide such services, and hence, there is no headache. All in all, this is one major issue when people consider buying a car that runs on electricity. What is the truth? Let us dig in deeper.
Battery Pack
The major maintenance associated with electric cars is the maintenance of the battery pack. It isn’t a scary task. You’ll have to recharge the battery regularly, as you would for any other electric device. When the battery dies out, you’ll have to replace it. The other maintenance tasks to be taken care of are mostly the regular ones associated with any other car.
Engine Isn’t Cluttered
First of all, an electric car never turns out to be a troublemaker. The belief is that they are neat, non-messy vehicles. That isn’t a wrong notion. The engine isn’t cluttered and has fewer parts. This places everything in a well-arranged position.
Vehicle Chargers
Electric cars are charged using vehicle chargers. You can charge your car at home. Isn’t that an advantage when you think of having to take your non-electric car to a gas station to fill gas every time? Most of the cars can be plugged into the standard electrical outlets. The higher the outlet voltage is, the less time it takes for charging. Another viable option is to charge the car using a vehicle charging station. It can be bought and kept at home. Most companies promote this option, since it is capable of a more quick and efficient charging. The vehicle charging station is designed solely for this purpose, and it will hence provide a higher voltage. This will reduce the charging time drastically. A one-time investment in the charging station will be worth the cost.
Range Depends Upon Factors
The range that can be covered by an electric car depends on many factors,ike the battery pack, curb weight, and so on. When the charge decreases and reaches a low level, the drive will start becoming rough. This serves as an indication that the car needs to be recharged. Gauges and similar instruments help you keep track of the energy of the vehicle.
Batteries
When it comes to regular maintenance of an electric car, there isn’t much to be done. The batteries have to be checked regularly, say, once a month. Check if the batteries need water. Also, see that the connections are held in place. There aren’t issues that cause too much trouble. Apart from the battery pack, all the maintenance is the regular work like checking for air in the tires, proper working of the brake, clutch, a nd suspension, etc.
Servicing and Maintaining Electric Cars
| Seek Professional Help | If there happens to be some major trouble with your car and if it is out of your league to fix it, take it to a mechanic. In most cases, electric cars come with a good service period. |
| Company Experts | If that is the case, you don’t have to worry about whether the local mechanics will know how to fix the problem or not. Electric car companies have experts specialized in servicing electric cars. |
| Rising Expertise | Even otherwise, since the number of people using electric or hybrid cars is on the rise, more mechanics next door are gaining expertise in maintaining and repairing them. In the worst case, if you are not able to find any mechanic in your neighborhood, you can call up any of the electric car companies that provide service. |
| Fleet of Trained Mechanics | These companies have a fleet of mechanics trained specially for servicing these cars. This is important to them too, since they have to promote the concept of these cars and establish a strong foothold in the market. But you should realize that this task shall not be as easy as it is for your normal car. |
| Limited Availability in Remote Areas | If you are not staying anywhere near a city or if you are in an area where electric cars aren’t popular at all, then you might be at risk. Just like the fact that electric cars aren’t available in every other shop out there, mechanics won’t be found in every nook. |
On the whole, maintaining electric cars is a manageable task. Charging the car regularly and replacing batteries can be done by anyone. If you travel only short distances regularly, you can think of going green. At least, you don’t have to avoid buying one, thinking that maintaining it will be troublesome.