If you’re like most people considering an electric vehicle as their next vehicle, you’ve probably got a lot of questions.

Electric vehicles have several advantages, including cost savings and avoiding the gas pump, but do they require far less maintenance?

In the debate between gas-powered cars and electric vehicles, this is a common question and comment. Maintenance and repairs are something that everyone should think about when purchasing a vehicle.

Is EV maintenance cheaper?

Electric vehicles have a fraction of the mechanical parts and components of a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle.

As a result, EV maintenance is significantly less expensive. According to the Department of Energy, owning an electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, or even a regular hybrid-electric vehicle is easier than owning a gas-powered vehicle.

EVs do not require over 20 commonly serviced components of a conventional car engine. Tune-ups, engine filters, oil changes, spark plugs, squeaky drive belts or chains, emission (EVAP) system hoses, leaks, O2 sensors, transmission flushes, failing catalytic converters, and more are all on the list.

And those are only the most common. When you consider the big picture, most gas vehicles have hundreds of hundreds of moving parts.

According to a Consumer Reports study, people who own regular vehicles spend an average of $4,600 more on repairs and maintenance over the life of the vehicle. Of course, repairs on an EV can be costly and time-consuming, but that is true of any vehicle. With an EV, you’ll have fewer things to maintain, repair, and worry about.

Why is this so?

That’s because, when you take a regular gas-powered vehicle to a mechanic or a dealership, the average maintenance repair can cost upwards of $600 per visit, if not more. If your transmission fails, you’ll be looking at a repair bill of several thousand dollars.

Electric vehicles do not have transmissions. As speeds increase, the single electric motor does not need to change gears. As a result, there are no transmission moving parts, no tranny fluid, and far fewer things that can go wrong. And that’s just when it comes to repairs, not to mention maintenance.

In an electric vehicle, the battery, motor, and all electronics that control the entire system require little to no maintenance.

You don’t have to check or change the oil, there aren’t as many fluids or hoses, and there are simply fewer moving parts, as we mentioned earlier.

What about the brakes? Will you spend a lot of money on brake pads and rotors since EVs are fast and have a lot of power, torque, and speed?

Nope. Because of regenerative braking, an EV’s brake wear is significantly reduced. While the system reduces braking, it also recharges the battery, saving you money and allowing you to drive for longer distances on a single charge.

Regular maintenance

Even though electric vehicles have fewer moving parts, this does not mean you will not have to maintain them. EVs aren’t completely maintenance-free, and you’ll need to do a few things on a regular basis, just like any other vehicle.

New tires or the occasional tire rotation are two examples. On the other hand, any vehicle should have its tires rotated on a regular basis. Alternatively, in some cases, getting a tire alignment.

Apart from that, you’ll need to perform a few other routine maintenance tasks. Wiper blades should be replaced as needed, windshield washer fluid should be added, and the cabin air filter should be cleaned or replaced. Since electric vehicles have so many fuses, it could be a maintenance issue. However, a regular car does as well.

The battery is probably the most “maintenance” aspect of an electric vehicle. For optimal health, all EV manufacturers recommend keeping the battery between 20 and 80 percent charged, which may be difficult for some owners.

Yes, a battery can fail, but that’s why you have a warranty. As required by law, all electric vehicles in the United States come with an 8-year or longer battery warranty.

Heat pumps and cooling systems are used in electric vehicles to keep the batteries at the proper temperature. Even so, the majority of them are entirely internal, built into the battery pack, and will not require owner maintenance.

Electric vehicles don’t require frequent oil changes every 3,000 or 5,000 miles, a plethora of fluids topped off by the kid at the local auto shop, and there’s generally less to be concerned about.