Electric vehicles (EVs) are getting more popular due to their eco-friendliness and energy efficiency. Still, like every car, routine maintenance is required for the best performance and a longer lifespan. The upside is that with the right care, you’ll prevent expensive fixes and your EV will stay in top shape. This guide will share the key pointers all EV owners need to know.
Battery Maintenance Tips: Preserving the Core of Your EV
In every electric car, the battery is key. Your battery working right is vital for your EV to run well. So, what’s the best way to take care of your battery?
1) Avoid Overusing Fast Charging
Fast charging is a great convenience, but often relying on it can introduce heat that will harm the battery over time. To preserve battery health, try Level 2 chargers for daily charging and limit fast charging to long trips or when you are very short on time. For more details on charging your electric car, visit the U.S. Department of Energy.
2) Keep Charge Levels at the Optimal Level
Boosting your battery’s lifespan can be achieved by moderating its charge to stay between 20% and 80% for routine operation. Keeping it from dropping below 10% or exceeding 100% should be avoided, unless it’s required. If the high power usage seems too much, most Electric vehicles offer a feature to restrict charging up to a specific limit.
3) Regularly Monitor Battery Health
All electric cars typically come with a special addition – an integrated system that keeps tabs on the battery’s condition. Frequently checking your vehicle’s app or display can assist in observing your battery’s overall wellbeing. Also, if you see a notable decrease in driving range or performance, it’s time to reach out to a professional for a battery checkup. Consumer Reports is a trusty source for tips on preserving the health of your EV batteries.
Tire Maintenance: Ensuring Safety and Efficiency
Your EV’s tires are crucial. They heavily impact how your car performs. The way your car drives, its safety features, and how much energy it uses all depend on your tires. If you want the fullest range and safest ride from your vehicle, you need to keep your tires in good shape:
1) Regularly Check Tire Pressure
Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance, using up the EV’s range. To avoid this, one should refer to the manufacturer’s advice for the correct tire pressure. Tires with the right pressure don’t just save energy. They make driving safer and make the tires last longer too.
2) Rotate Tires to Prevent Uneven Wear
Turning your tires regularly prevents lopsided tire usage. This action betterment your car’s control and extends your tires’ lifespan. Adhering to the rotation routine posited by the car manufacturer is essential. Normally, this is after every 5,000 to 7,500 miles.
3) Choose the Right Tires for Your EV
Choose tires with low rolling resistance, specially made for electric vehicles. These tires are crafted to use less power. Also, ensure your tires match the likely driving conditions you’ll encounter.
Request from Tire Rack to know more about low rolling resistance tires.
Brake Maintenance: Extending the Life of Your Brakes
Regenerative braking is the way electric cars slow down. During this, energy gets stored in the battery and later used to power up the battery. This system involves standard brake components such as calipers and pads. Consistent maintenance of the brakes matters in this. It is an essential part in ensuring a smooth overall operation.
1) Utilize Regenerative Braking Efficiently
Regenerative braking’s chief task is to recharge your battery and extend your brake pads and discs’ lifespan. How you use regenerative braking ought to be clear: alternate between stepping on the accelerator and the brake pedal, then possibly back on the accelerator. This step is ideal for your regenerative brake’s longevity.
2) Regularly Inspect Brake Components
However, regardless of whether regenerative braking is used or not, brake pads, and discs will inevitably need to be replaced. It is essential to have the brakes checked frequently, especially when you notice something unusual in the function of brakes, like noise or vibration. By doing this, you can completely avoid the situation where it is unclear whether you should replace the brakes or let them be. Make sure that the replacement of the worn-out parts, on your part, is carried out promptly so that your electric vehicle is still safe to drive.
3) Check and Replace Brake Fluid
Ordinary cars require close monitoring of brake fluid, among other fluids. Despite that, an Electric vehicle (EV), with its minimal fluid needs, can easily replace a traditional car. Keeping an eye on the brake fluid level regularly and replacing it based on the vehicle maker’s advice is necessary. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides maintenance rules for brakes.
Additional Electric Vehicle Maintenance Tips
Apart from looking after the battery, tires, and brakes, there are other parts of an electric vehicle that need attention as well:
1) Keep Software Up to Date
Electric cars frequently receive software updates to improve performance, add safety measures, and correct errors. So, always keep your EV software current to benefit from the latest tech. Watch for messages from the car maker because many updates can be downloaded from the web nowadays.
2) Maintain the Cooling System
A cooling system is present on one side of the battery and in many of its areas. The efficiency of this cooling system can decline as time goes by, partially due to the coolant diminishing. Regular checks on the levels are necessary, and refilling them is important too. This ensures that the cooling system in your electric vehicle functions properly.
3) Inspect Suspension and Steering Components
Electric cars weigh more than traditional gas cars due to the battery setup. This added weight can cause extra stress on the suspension and steering components. It’s important to check these parts during regular car check-ups to confirm they are working well. If they are worn out, replacing them can improve the smoothness and comfort of your drive. You can find useful advice on prolonging the life of your electric car in Consumer Reports. They regularly release articles targeted at EV owners.
Conclusion
These tips on maintaining electric vehicles help you keep your EV in good shape, elongate its life, and have a secure, efficient ride. Routine upkeep is important to fully utilize your electric vehicle. This can be in terms of battery care, the tires, brakes, or other critical parts. By being active in maintaining your EV, you can keep it dependable and performing well for several years.
For a better grasp on how to care for electric cars, our extensive guide for electric vehicle drivers is suggested. This serves as the go-to advice for maintaining an electric car in top-notch condition.