4 Common Electric Vehicle Repairs To Be Aware Of

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Most mechanics will tell you that an electric car is much simpler under the hood. It only has 20 moving parts compared to nearly 200 for a car with a combustible engine. That might lead you to think they come with fewer issues. While that may or may not be the case, one thing is certain to be true. Even electric cars are going to need repairs.

Keep reading as we look at four common electric vehicle repairs you need to know.

Replacing the Electric Car Battery

Typically, the batteries used in electric cars are reliable and will last for many miles. However, at a certain point, they will need to be replaced. Luckily, most manufacturers offer an eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty on their batteries. 

Most electric car batteries are designed to last for 15 to 20 years. Unfortunately, as the battery gets older and has more and more charges, its ability to hold that charge will decrease. When it might have been able to last 400 miles at one point, you may only get 200 miles after so many years. 

Something that many owners might not realize is that batteries aren’t designed to be run entirely down or fully charged. Instead, they should be kept between a 20% and 80% charge for maximum efficiency. 

Replacing a New Electric Motor

Like the battery, an electric car motor is designed to last between 15 and 20 years, so you may never need to deal with an engine issue. However, depending on the circumstances, that lifespan can be reduced. Dirt that gets into the engine can contribute to it wearing down. The same goes for excessive heat and corrosion. 

Replacing the Tires

Similar to a standard gas car, the tires on an electric car will need to be replaced. However, electric car tires tend to need replacement a little more frequently. Because an electric vehicle is heavier, more strain is put on the tires. Plus, since electric cars can accelerate extremely fast, this can also contribute to additional tire wear. 

As long as you continue to have the tires rotated every 7,500 miles, you should be able to maximize the tire’s life, but that will probably only be around 30,000 – 50,000 miles, depending on the tires you choose and your driving habits.

Alignment

Electric cars can easily find themselves out of alignment. This can happen if the car is driven frequently over rough pavement or the tires wear unevenly because you don’t keep up on tire rotations. When this happens, you’ll need to take the car in for a realignment. 

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