At last some data to confirm what most EV owners already suspected
When fleets compare electric vehicle (EV) costs with diesel, most of the emphasis is put on the P11d price and fuel. However, there are also significant differences in service and maintenance costs. Put simply, servicing and maintenance of a fully-electric vehicle is estimated to cost between 25% and 40% less than that of a petrol or diesel car.
“There are fewer parts that will require maintenance in an EV,” explains Chris Chandler, principal consultant, fleet consultancy, at leasing giant Lex Autolease.
Unlike petrol or diesel vehicles, which have dozens of moving components in their engine and transmission, EVs have a simple drivetrain, typically consisting of just three parts: an on-board charger, inverter and motor.
When Ford unveiled its Focus electric car in America in 2012, it listed more than 20 items used in petrol and diesel cars but not in EVs that require inspection, maintenance or replacement over a vehicle’s 10-year/150,000-mile life.
These included the alternator, power steering fluid (it uses electrical assistance), radiator and assorted pipework, spark plugs, starter motor, thermostat, timing belt and a water pump.
This makes an EV cheaper and means there are fewer moving parts to go wrong, resulting in improved reliability and on-road times.
On top of this, EVs require no oil changes, spark plugs, air filter, transmission fluid, exhaust pipe or radiator hoses, all of which can add to the service, maintenance and repair (SMR) costs of a petrol or diesel vehicle.
The relative simplicity of an EV’s drivetrain is reflected in its SMR costs, according to Nissan. It says that both the Leaf and Nissan e-NV200 cost “considerably less to service and maintain than diesel or petrol alternatives”.
Read more: Fleet News