Do Electric Cars Use Motor Oil? EV vs. ICE Maintenance

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EV routine maintenance procedures explained
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Electric vehicles (EVs) are different from vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICEs) in a lot of ways—oil changes included. Oil typically works to prevent overheating in ICE vehicles and minimize the amount of wear and tear on the engine, but with fewer moving parts and less heat generation, EV motors do not need oil. We’ll break down the specifics (and cover all the other ways EVs are unique) so that you can figure out if an EV is the right option for you.

Do Electric Cars Need Oil Changes?

Electric vehicles have a much different drivetrain design that eliminates the need for oil, so if you buy an EV you won’t have any need for oil changes. That doesn’t mean you’re totally off the hook when it comes to fluids, though. EVs still need brake fluid, coolant, and wiper fluid.

Section 1 of 5:

Do Electric Vehicles need oil or oil changes?

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  1. EVs do not burn gasoline to power the engine—they use a battery to force magnets to spin which causes the vehicle to run. This process doesn’t produce nearly as much heat as ICE engines, and it requires fewer moving parts. As a result, there’s no need for oil to constantly flow through anything. [1]
    • In ICE vehicles, the oil helps to dissipate the heat created by the engine, which is why your engine overheats if you don’t change your oil.
    • Internal combustion engines also have tons of moving parts (pistons, cylinders, crankshafts, etc.). Oil keeps those parts from rubbing against one another when they’re dry, which could damage them. Since EVs don’t have as many moving parts, there’s no risk of damage. [2]
    • While they don’t need oil, EV engines do need grease lubrication. The components in an EV motor do actually move, just not nearly enough to justify the need for oil. [3]
      • How often do EV engines need to be relubricated? Refer to your manual. Some EVs require relubrication annually, while other EVs (notably most Tesla models) only need relubrication every 100,000 miles (160,000 km).
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Section 2 of 5:

Do EVs require regular maintenance?

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  1. You still need to get regular brake pad checkups , coolant inspections , suspension realignment , and more. If you have an EV, you do get to skip on oil-related issues, transmission problems, and any recall-related issues (since the vehicles can be updated via software). [4]
    • All things considered, maintenance is going to be a lot easier with an EV than a traditional gas-powered vehicle. You do still have to take care of your car, though!
    • What about hybrid vehicles? Hybrids will save you money at the gas pump, but that’s about it. They still need all of the regular maintenance that ICE vehicles do (including oil changes).
Section 3 of 5:

What types of fluid changes do EVs need?

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  1. While an EV engine may not produce very much heat, any EV battery will certainly run hot after a while. So, electronic vehicles rely on coolant to flow through the battery and absorb the heat. This is known as an EV’s thermoregulation system. [5]
    • How often do you need to add coolant? You only need to add coolant if your vehicle tells you that you’re running low on coolant. One of the neat things about EVs is that they’re new, which means they don’t need to rely on dash lights and obscure symbols to communicate things. The fancy computer in your car will tell you if you’re low on coolant!
  2. Brake fluid is the liquid inside of your brake’s hydraulic lines. When you press the brake pedal, it pressurizes the brake fluid which pushes the brake pads into the rotors. There isn’t really any difference mechanically between how an EV’s and ICE vehicle’s brakes work, so the brake fluid requirements are basically the same in both sets of vehicles. [6]
    • How often do you need to replace brake fluid? Every 40,000 miles (64,000 km) or so, just like normal cars. Like the coolant, your vehicle will tell you when you’re up for a brake fluid flush.
    • While brake fluid replacement isn’t different, brake replacement is! EVs tend to rely on regenerative braking, which relies on the motor running in reverse to slow the car down. As a result, EV owners get a nice break on brake pad replacement costs.
  3. If your windshield is dirty and it isn’t raining, you hit a button or pull on the wiper lever and out comes a burst of blue fluid. Your windshield wipers activate and voila! You’ve got a clean windshield. Like the brakes, the windshield wiper fluid system is the same in EVs and ICE vehicles.
    • How often do you need to add wiper fluid? Whenever you run out!
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Section 4 of 5:

Maintenance Costs for EVs

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  1. EVs tend to have fewer moving parts. This reduces the amount of heat your vehicle generates compared to ICE vehicles. Fewer moving components also means it’s less likely something randomly breaks or fails. As a result, EV owners end up spending around $300 less than ICE owners when it comes to routine maintenance.
    • EVs do tend to be slightly pricier outside of maintenance, though. After 5 years of ownership, an EV will cost a consumer an average of $65,202, while an average ICE vehicle owner will run $56,962. [7] This is due to how expensive battery and EV repairs are. While the regular maintenance is cheaper, major repairs tend to be pricier for EVs.
    • Don’t forget the savings on gas! The average EV owner will spend around $4,000 charging their vehicle over a 5-year period. ICE vehicle owners will spend more than double that amount on gas ($9,490 specifically). [8] That’s a lot of savings!
Section 5 of 5:

How else are EVs unique from ICE vehicles?

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  1. There is technically a gearbox inside of your EV’s motor, but it’s not a traditional transmission in the sense that there’s no shifting. In other words, you have no transmission problems in EVs. Since transmission issues and repairs tend to be the most expensive auto repair you’ll ever make, you get to take a deep sigh of relief as an EV owner knowing that you’ll never need to visit a transmission specialist. [9]
  2. Basically, when you brake in an EV, the battery begins spinning backward to force the drivetrain to slow the wheels down. The brake pads don’t actually activate unless the car needs additional braking power. [10]
    • This will save you a lot of cash over time since the need for new brake pads will be much more infrequent.
  3. If you buy an ICE vehicle, your car isn’t going to change much (if at all) over the years when it comes to the driving experience and features. This isn’t the case with EVs! Since electronic cars rely on electrical systems exclusively, they can be updated or patched electronically. [11]
    • This means you’ll have a lot easier of a time when it comes to things like recalls. No need to drive to a dealer if you can update your car with a USB stick!
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.edmunds.com/electric-car/articles/why-electric-cars-dont-use-motor-oil.html
      2. ↑ https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a39493798/ev-motors-explained/
      3. ↑ https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a39493798/ev-motors-explained/
      4. ↑ https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/electric-maintenance
      5. ↑ https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/downloads/Model_3_Emergency_Response_Guide_en.pdf
      6. ↑ https://www.cochranchevroletyoungstown.com/blog/what-fluids-do-electric-cars-need/
      7. ↑ https://www.nada.org/nada/nada-headlines/beyond-sticker-price-cost-ownership-evs-v-ice-vehicles
      8. ↑ https://www.nada.org/nada/nada-headlines/beyond-sticker-price-cost-ownership-evs-v-ice-vehicles
      9. ↑ https://www.treehugger.com/do-electric-cars-have-transmissions-5198199
      1. ↑ https://www.kbb.com/car-advice/regenerative-brakes-how-they-work/
      2. ↑ https://electrek.co/2022/06/07/over-the-air-updates-how-does-each-ev-automaker-compare/

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