The maintenance of electric cars has been debated many a time 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 are rarely found, while some 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.
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.
First of all, an electric car never turns out to be a trouble maker. 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.
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 to the standard electrical outlets. The higher the outlet voltage is, the lesser the 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’ll hence provide a higher voltage. This will reduce the charging time drastically. A one-time investment for the charging station will be worth the buy.
The range that can be covered by an electric car depends on many factors like 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.
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 in a month. Check if the batteries need water. Also see that the connections are held tight in place. There aren’t issues that cause too much trouble. Apart from the battery pack, all the maintenance is the regular works like checking for air in the tires, proper working of the brake, clutch and suspension, etc.
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. If that is the case, you don’t have to worry about whether the local mechanics will know to fix the problem or not. Electric car companies have experts specialized in servicing electric cars. 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. 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. 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, the mechanics won’t be found in every nook. You can also insure your car like you do for any other car. Manycar dealers have growing options for buying or selling electric cars. This highlights the increasing popularity of these eco-friendly cars.
On the whole, maintaining electric cars is a manageable task. Charging the car regularly and replacing batteries can be done by any one. If you travel only short distances regularly, you can definitely think of going green. At the least, you don’t have to avoid buying one, thinking that maintaining it will be troublesome.