Electric car servicing: everything you need to know

Gone are the days where fully electric-powered vehicles seemed like something from the distant future. From a steady, gradual uptick in sales to a big market boom, our roads are quickly being overtaken by electric vehicles – a welcome change for our planet’s health.

Psst! If you’re in the market for an electric vehicle, make sure to check out our full guide to buying an EV here. Anyway, we digress…

Though you might not need to stress about topping up the engine oil anymore with an electric, (instead needing to remember to charge up the car!), proper electric car maintenance is still pivotal. Like with petrol or diesel cars, regular electric car servicing is the best way to spot and quickly fix faults before they end up draining your bank account later down the line.

But what actually goes on in an EV service, and how much does it all cost? We’ve got a lot to get through, so let’s get straight on into it:

How often does my electric car need servicing?

Realistically, the service intervals for electric cars can differ drastically depending on all kinds of variables, including your car’s model, mileage and age. But as with a standard internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, we’d always recommend booking in for regular services to spot issues early on and prevent costly repairs later down the road (literally!).

We’d always recommend having full services every 2 years, or every 18,000 miles – whichever comes up first. However, it is important to be sensible here, especially if you have a high mileage. With excessive use comes increased deterioration, wearing down everything from your brakes to your tyres. Whether you drive an EV, PHEV or an ICE vehicle, a high annual mileage will deteriorate at the same rate. Ultimately though, your service intervals are left up to your judgement.

What goes on in electric car servicing?

Both electric vehicles and your standard ICE vehicle share a lot of similarities. After all, they both have wheels, tyres, lights, brakes – you know, the full works. The main difference is obviously the lack of combustible fuel, in favour of a battery.

An ICE car is packed with moving parts, oils and lubricants that need checking during a service, whereas an electric-powered motor and battery is a simpler and cleaner set up. With that in mind, it seems that an electric car service would be less hassle. Less moving parts = less stuff to go wrong, right?

While this is technically true, it’s still important to keep in mind that problems can still arise.

Below we’ll cover everything that comes as a standard part of the parcel during a Vasstech electric vehicle service, so we can ensure your EV remains safe, secure and roadworthy for years to come.

EV Servicing

Electric Vehicle Brake Servicing

Electric vehicles utilise what’s known as regenerative braking, a mechanism found in most hybrid and fully-electric vehicles. Simply put, regen braking is when some of the kinetic energy that’s used to propel your car forward is actually recouped as you slow down, charging up the car’s batteries. Reuse, recycle and all that jazz…

During this process, regenerative braking helps to slow the car down, reducing the strain on the conventional braking system. As a result, the brake pads in electric cars tend to wear more slowly than in a standard car – but they’ll still need inspecting as part of the service.

Your electric car service will involve an inspection of the brake pads, discs and brake fluid, in addition to any replacements or fixes if needs be.

Coolant and Fluids in Electric Vehicles

Keeping your car at a level temperature is key, for both electric and ICE vehicle owners. And engine coolant (antifreeze) plays a big part in this. Coolant works to chill the battery and keep it at an optimum temperature, both in the cold seasons or the sweltering summer.

In standard electric vehicle servicing, a thorough inspection of your car’s cooling system will be in order, and a top-up if necessary.

Sidenote: It’s a good idea to check your levels at least twice a year, once before the weather hots up and again before the winter chills begin. This’ll work to keep things ticking along smoothly in between services.

Electric Vehicle Batteries

When you go for a service, your EV’s battery’s health is a key component to look at for any faults. Surprisingly, your battery needs little maintenance on a daily basis and is fit to last. So much so, the current estimation is that an electric car battery will last around 10 years!

However, during your EV service, we’ll give it a full inspection to ensure everything is in working order. And of course, we’ll make sure to fully charge you up so you’re ready to drive off instantly upon collection.

Electric Car Tyres

Making direct contact with the road almost every single day, so keeping our tyres in good condition is critical for ensuring your car continues to run safely – especially critical for EV owners.

The electric battery tends to be pretty weighty, often making EVs quite a bit heavier than your typical ICE vehicle. This increasing pressure on the tyres, alongside the instant torque delivery on an electric car can run the risk of worn down tyres and problems down the road.

To keep your tyres in check, it’s important to replace them when the tread depth reaches 3mm, alongside opting for regular four-wheel alignment checks. At your service, one of our specialists will inspect your tyres for any cracks, faults and wear and tear, advising on any replacements if necessary.

Bulbs and wipers

In terms of what needs to be checked here, there isn’t much difference between EVs and your standard car. We’ll check your bulbs, wiper blades and all the other bits and pieces, and then it’ll just be a case of replacing them if need be.

Electrical diagnostics and fault finding

In addition to all the typical checks we perform on any car, we’ll also perform a full diagnostic health check on the electrics of your EV – possibly the most critical part of electric car servicing.

Naturally, your electric car needs to be able to charge, so inspecting the risk, damage and next steps for your charging cable and other high-voltage cables is key here. Cables naturally pose a huge risk, so it’s important that only trained, professional technicians with extensive specialist knowledge of proper electric vehicle service equipment fulfil this part of the service.

Here at Vasstech, our knowledge in this remit is unparalleled. After years of experience specialising in VW electric vehicles, alongside all other models of EV too, we’re your go-to for EV servicing.

How much does electric car servicing cost?

Due to all the innovative technology that comes as standard with an electric vehicle, you’d expect an electric car service to be pricier than its ICE counterpart. Yet, due to fewer components that aren’t half as complex as your standard engine, it shouldn’t make too much of a dent on the wallet.

However, as with most car repairs and maintenance, there is no standard and the electric car cost depends on a variety of different factors. We offer quotes tailored to your vehicle’s specifications, with costs typically ranging from £115 to £390 depending on your car’s age, model, and mileage.

Electric car parts

If your car is in need of replacement parts, it’s important to do your research to get things right. Though it can be tempting to try and get the cheapest pieces possible, it’s important to get genuine parts if you want your repairs to last.

As we’re an independent garage, specialising in VW group vehicles, we have direct access to genuine parts for electric cars to get your repairs and maintenance done right. We pride ourselves on providing a service you can trust. And it’s not just VW group vehicles either, we’re trained for all makes and models, electric or standard and so on.

Keeping your EV in check

We’re well versed in servicing electric cars just as we are traditional ICE vehicles. So, if your electric car is in the market for a service, we’re just the people you need.

Get your EV roadworthy, ready and raring to go at your local Vasstech branch – book in today!