While electric cars are still comparatively rare to see on the road, brands like Tesla have drawn a lot of attention to them and, hopefully, have inspired more drivers to make the change to electric vehicles. However, one of the primary worries many drivers have is that maintaining electric cars is more expensive and complicated than maintaining traditional cars. To help you better understand the needs of your car, here are the top maintenance tips for electric vehicles.
General Maintenance
While car manufacturers like Tesla have put more attention on electric vehicles, they’ve also cultivated the idea that electric cars are luxury vehicles. As a result, you may think that maintenance and servicing these vehicles would be more expensive. Luckily, this is not the case. Electric cars have far fewer moving parts and components, simplifying the maintenance process and reducing the number of parts that could become defunct and need replacing. As a result, electric cars are much cheaper to care for than traditional vehicles.
Additionally, the components electric cars do have aren’t so different from traditional cars. The maintenance you can perform yourself includes replacing the fluids within your vehicle or cleaning out the air filter that protects the inner workings of your car from dust, pollen, and other forms of debris.
Battery Maintenance
With no combustion engine under the hood, it stands to reason that the battery providing your car with electricity is the most important part of an electric vehicle. This makes servicing the battery the top maintenance tip for electric vehicles since the car is only as good as the battery. With regular servicing, most batteries can last up to 100,000 miles so long as you have a professional monitor and adjust your battery for the most optimal conditions. Some ways you can protect your battery include:
- Not leaving your car uncharged for extended lengths of time
- Avoiding exposing the battery to extreme temperatures
- Avoiding rough terrain that vibrates the battery
- Timing your battery charge to prevent over- or under-charging the battery.
Wheel Maintenance
While seemingly mundane, replacing the rims of your electric vehicle may seem tricky given their general scarcity on the road. Should one of your rims become cracked or damaged, getting a replacement from the manufacturer can be incredibly expensive. Luckily, WheelerShip offers replacements like Tesla model S wheels for a much more affordable price without sacrificing quality or craftsmanship.