Comment by recursive
3 years ago
> They have basically zero downsides
They need oil changes. Some don't mind, but I do. It's a downside.
3 years ago
> They have basically zero downsides
They need oil changes. Some don't mind, but I do. It's a downside.
All machines of meaningful complexity need maintenance if you expect them to last, including EVs, and a fluid change that happens twice a year for most vehicles isn't exactly a huge inconvenience.
IMO getting under your vehicle twice a year is a good thing and more people should be encouraged to do it. Getting eyes on the stuff hidden underneath before it gets bad enough to start breaking is always useful.
> All machines of meaningful complexity need maintenance if you expect them to last, including EVs
This is honestly not true - there is an order of magnitude less parts in an EV drivetrain vs a modern ICE car. You can go a decade between seeing a service center in an EV, largely thanks to regen braking/one pedal driving allowing you to avoid new pads or discs. There is no transmission in virtually all EVs, with drive direct from the motor through a fixed gear etc. The motor's moving parts are effectively friction free - the rotor and stator in an EV never touch, so there is no wear.
I think anyone currently running both an EV and a gas car will have similar experiences; The EV needs tires, cabin air filters and wiper blades from new to the 10 year mark, there are no other regular trips. The only scheduled fluid change on a tesla is a relatively inexspensive 10 year battery coolant swap.
My suspension and brakes get inspected for safety issues every time I get new tires on the EV - I'm fine with not getting under it too.
> largely thanks to regen braking allowing you to avoid new pads or discs
I’m almost there with the old-school way: a manual transmission and downshifting to decelerate.
While not as effective, drum brakes really lasted a while.
4 replies →
> Getting eyes on the stuff hidden underneath before it gets bad enough to start breaking is always useful.
For people like myself, looking at the underside of a car is worthless. I wouldn't even begin to be able to recognize something needs attention until it's very obviously broken. And even then, I might not know.
If you're looking at it a few times a year even if you don't know what you're looking at after a few times any substantial changes should be notable. On top of that I'd imagine most people who do their own oil changes are going to lean in the direction of mechanically inclined or at least willing to learn things.
If you're paying someone else to do it, presumably they're a set of eyes that's a bit more experienced with cars and can more confidently identify the sorts of things one could see from the perspective of an oil change.
Sounds like sugar coating on a down side to me.
They often have no spare tire to fit the battery. Quite a few don't have battery thermal management, so the packs will degrade much more quickly. It seems like they have all the downsides.
My Hybrid Corolla didn't come with a spare tire but it has space to install one (and I did). The battery is under the rear seating.
New Toyota Corollas don't have spare tires. They're not an outlier. Are there available (new) EVs other than the Nissan Leaf that doesn't have active thermal management?
EVs do have downsides, but so do ICE and hybrid.
No battery thermal management?? I thought no one did that after the disaster that was the original Nissan leaf's battery
This is a valid concern. My Tesla has had zero maintenance in the 50,000 km since I bought it. Even as a former gearhead, I love not thinking about it.