Thinking about an electric vehicle (EV) for your next car? Here are the cheapest and most affordable electric cars and SUVs you can buy in Australia right now.
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How much does a new EV battery cost?
Comparing electric vehicle and petrol car servicing costs and differences
While brand new electric cars often cost more to drive out of the showroom, electric vehilce (EV) owners may save on some maintenance costs. Here's what you need to know about EV versus ICE servicing costs and differences.
Motorists looking to transition to a cleaner energy future by purchasing an electric car often save money by not having to pump expensive petrol or diesel into a fuel tank. Charging an EV generally costs less than refuelling an internal combustion engine (ICE) car.
Car maintenance is another aspect of EV versus petrol car ownership that should be considered when thinking about making the switch. Read on to find out more about EV versus ICE servicing costs and differences.
A guide to electric vehicle vs petrol/diesel services
Are electric cars cheaper to service than petrol/diesel vehicles?
It's difficult to say whether EVs are categorically cheaper to service than petrol cars, since EVs are relatively new to the Australian market and haven't yet reached their lifespan.
What we do know is that EVs have fewer moving parts (engine, belts, chains, pipes, etc.) than ICE vehicles. They also don't use as many fluids, for example engine oil, to operate. EV drivers can therefore save on the cost of these consumables on their servicing bill.
"An internal combustion needs to have oil, an oil filter, a fuel filter and an air filter," explains Liam Brady, RACV Senior Manager Electric Vehicles. "You have components that add up over time to a fairly major cost on a car. That especially applies to oil. You're talking four litres at a minimum per vehicle and it increases from there. In this day and age, oil can be expensive per litre."
It’s not only the materials required - it’s the time taken by an expert technician to apply them. Labour cost is a big component of the servicing process, and EVs simply take less time to service because they have fewer parts.
Several EV manufacturers even offer a five-year free service plan, which can be financially rewarding to take part in.
More: The cheapest electric cars to buy in Australia
Electric cars typically have less equipment under the bonnet than petrol or diesel cars. Image: Ben Weinstein
What needs to be serviced in an EV?
A routine annual EV service should include an inspection of all the EV's components, plus a diagnostic system check.
While an EV has less parts than an ICE vehicle, its brakes, suspension, steering, tyres, lights, windscreen wipers, air conditioning, instrument warning lights and gauges, safety systems, and battery terminals will all need to be checked.
EVs also need EV-specific items like electric motors and high-voltage battery pack monitored, even though they're sealed units.
“The big EV battery is checked through a diagnostic machine because you can’t just lift it up to check all the different cells,” explains Brady. “You're checking the battery's state of health.”
Do brakes and tyres wear out faster on an EV?
Tyres and brake pads are two key consumables that can behave differently in an EV compared to a similarly sized ICE vehicle.
Some EVs are known to wear out tyres quicker because they weigh more (thanks to those big battery packs) and deliver maximum accelerative torque from standstill because of the way electric motors behave. EV manufacturers are now developing EV-specific tyre rubber that may help negate increased wear.
On the other hand, EVs are said to save on brake pads since the regenerative braking process means traditional friction brakes aren’t relied on as much to stop.
How much does an electric car cost to service?
While EV service costs can vary depending on the service centre, it may be worth taking advantage of the fixed-price service schedule that many EV manufacturers offer.
Always check with the dealer or independent mechanic what is due at the next service interval so there are no surprises when it comes to cost. EV service intervals that require replacing the driveline fluid and/or air conditioning (pollen) filter will be more costly than a standard EV service.
As with all vehicles, ensure your EV is serviced on time so there’s no impact on your warranty.
When it comes to servicing, some things - such as checking brakes and batteries - are standard. Image: Ben Weinstein
How much does a new EV battery cost?
An EV's battery is its most expensive component, costing thousands of dollars.
Most EV manufacturers offer an 8- or 10-year warranty (or a limited kilometre warranty) on the battery, which exceeds the average mechanical warranty on ICE cars.
It’s very early in the life of electric vehicles in Australia, and most are still under long warranties, so there’s little data available for replacement costs of both batteries and motors.
EV batteries are accompanied by complex battery management systems designed to achieve maximum battery life. These systems can monitor the battery state of charge, heating and cooling, as well as driver usage to optimise the life of the battery.
Vehicle batteries are made up of cells and it is likely that over time, it will be individual cells within batteries that are replaced, instead of the whole unit.
