Outlining Maintenance Expenses for Emerging Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Mechanics

It’s no secret that the return on investment for electric vehicles is part of what attracts many buyers. With the increase in gas prices, along with the greater push for electrification with tax rebates and government subsidies, there are many financial incentives to owning an EV. What’s more, the maintenance expenses alone for EVs have been shown to be significantly less than those for internal combustion engines. 

If you’re interested in a career as a hybrid and electric vehicle mechanic, you’ll need to keep up with industry trends around EV maintenance, preparing you to accurately price your services and ensure that customers are charged correctly for maintenance and repair. Below, discover more about the current factors affecting the cost of EV maintenance.

Components of EVs that Require Regular Maintenance

There are several components of an EV which require maintenance and incur expenses for owners–whether that’s every few years or several times a year. As a hybrid and electric vehicle mechanic, pay special attention to the following:

• Batteries: EVs often come with a battery warranty that lasts up to 8 or 10 years. As a mechanic, it’s important to check the battery’s coolant level every time the vehicle comes in for servicing, and check for any signs of depreciation on the battery range. Cells which aren’t functioning properly within the battery may need to be replaced.
• Tires: Due to the weight of their battery pack, EVs are more expensive than gas-powered ones. This means that their tires may experience increased wear or overpressure. Tires may need to be replaced and rotated more frequently.

Despite the costs of maintenance incurred with these components, EVs are still less expensive to maintain than gasoline-powered vehicles.

What it Costs to Maintain Different EVs

Depending on the type of EV you’re servicing, the cost of maintenance will vary. During hybrid and electric mechanic training, you’ll learn about what it costs to maintain a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) and a BEV (a battery electric vehicle). Overall, it’s likely that PHEVs will cost more in terms of maintenance than BEVs. This is because PHEVs contain more moving components which are prone to wear and tear, and tend to be less efficient than BEVs. On the other hand, BEVs typically require less regular maintenance, especially given the longevity of their battery. What’s more, with improvements in technology, it’s likely that BEVs will become even less costly to maintain in the future.

Maintaining EVs vs. Gas-Powered Vehicles: Expenses Compared

While there are minor discrepancies between the cost of maintaining PHEVs and BEVs, there’s a major difference between those costs and what it takes to maintain a gas-powered vehicle. Why? Electric vehicles have a number of qualities which make them less costly to maintain. For one, they’re typically equipped with regenerative braking systems. Because these systems don’t experience frequent wear, it may be the case that the brake pads will never need to be replaced. 

Additionally, EVs have a much simpler structure than traditional vehicles, which are often more complex and make maintenance more time-consuming. EVs also don’t use as many fluids as other vehicles, requiring less frequent trips to the mechanic. Given these many differences, it’s clear why more drivers are going electric.

Are you considering a hybrid and electric mechanic course?

Contact ATC Surrey for more information!