Servicing your Electric Car

There is no doubt that electric vehicles need less maintenance than their petrol and diesel counterparts. The internal combustion engine (ICE) has a lot more moving parts so a lot more can potentially go wrong. Electric motors are fairly simple in comparison, with most EVs having no more than 20 working parts in the entire unit.    The electric vehicle does still need regular maintenance and regularly scheduled servicing. This work should be carried out by a specialised technician.  At Sandyford Motor Centre, our experienced team of technicians have trained and up skilled to embrace the growing demand for servicing and maintenance of Electric and Plug in Hybrid vehicles.

What happens during an EV service

EV’s need no oil change, there are no filters to renew or water and fuels to top up, no timing belts to change or check. Tyres, windscreen wipers, bulbs and brakes do still need attention and are included in the service. The service team here at Sandyford Motor Center service the vehicles electrical systems, which may include the battery, electrical motor, and associated electronics. We link the unit up to a diagnostic machine to pick up any fault codes that need attention. Investing in state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, as well as trained staff is crucial to servicing EVs. The EV battery has no moving parts, but individual cells are checked, and any damage shows up on this diagnostic test.   A close and exacting visual test of high voltage cables ensures that there are no breakages in the outer cover of the cables. The EV has a cooling system to keep the battery at optimum temperature and uses liquid coolant. This will be topped up or flushed out and replaced, during the service depending on its condition and the manufacturers recommendations. The tyres on an electric vehicle can wear out thread faster than on a car using conventional fuel, simply because the vehicle is heavier. The density of the large battery, plus the instant torque delivery puts more pressure on tyres. There are of course, components that are common to all makes of engine and are subject to wear and tear and problems. The steering, the suspension and brakes, fluid pads and discs, are all inspected, and any issues addressed. The heating and ventilation systems are checked and more often than not, the cabin air filter needs to be changed. The air-conditioning system’s refrigerant levels will also be checked and re-charged if this is needed.  Finally, the charging port is inspected for damage and a replacement recommended if needed.

Hybrid and PHEV Servicing

The PHEV and HEV needs the same servicing as an electric vehicle and as a combustion engine vehicle, including filters belts, lights oils fluids and wear on the many components of your engine and car.    PHEVs and HEVs have internal combustion engines, and the work carried out is similar to those of conventional vehicles with some extra attention added for the EV components.  The Hybrid vehicle will need servicing at the same frequency as any vehicle running solely on the more conventional fuels. They still need regular oil changes, belt replacements and tyre alignment and replacement. The brakes may need less attention as the car benefits from the electric regenerative braking  Essentially, with  Hybrid cars, the servicing and maintenance requires more work than with both ICE cars and EVs. Check with your manufacturer or dealership or with the manual for your vehicle to see what the recommended service schedule is, or simple call or phone us here at Sandyford Motor Centre and we will be more than happy to assist.

At Sandyford Motor Centre, we pride ourselves on an excellent service record and after sales service. If you have any questions regarding EV, PHEV, Hybrid, or standard car servicing, just call in and chat to the team.