Feb. 16, 2023–As EVs have become more popular, the reduced maintenance that is required for them can be appealing to drivers, but the cost saved from that may be offset by the cost of inevitable repairs, Business Insider reports.
Kelley Blue Book found that the cost of maintenance for an EV was “$4,246 over 5 years of ownership,” with gas-powered cars having the pricier number of $4,583.
The numbers look different, however, when looking at cost of repairs, with EV repairs typically being $1,712 over the same period of time, and gas-powered vehicles costing $1,695.
Quin Garcia, managing director at AutoTech Ventures, points out these differences can be due to EVs not requiring “as much maintenance … but EVs are going to require high-ticket repairs.”
EVs may see an increase in repairs as well, such as high tire wear due to the increased weight of the vehicles as well as the “near-instant torque of EVs” resulting in tire replacements.
One benefit EVs may see is from regenerative braking reducing wear and resulting in fewer replacements, the Alternative Fuels Data Center said.
With these changes, dealers are now faced with reconsidering their after-sales service: a large part of their business.
“How do dealers navigate that thin line between focusing on after-sales,” Garcia said, “but also navigating EVs not requiring as much after-sales service?”
