Electric Car Servicing
Everything you need to know
Drivers are pretty aware of the maintenance that is required for a ‘conventional’ petrol or diesel car. There are oil servicing, filter changes and spark plug replacements which all tie into the annual upkeep of a car with an internal combustion engine.
But what about keeping an electric car maintained? That’s a slightly different thing altogether. Though EVs need far less upkeep than a traditional petrol or diesel, there are still some things you need to keep your eye on. Let’s take a look at what you need to know and how Sytner can help to keep your electric car in tip-top shape.
Your questions answered
Yes. Remember, EVs still have consumable parts such as brake pads, tyres and windscreen wipers, so these need to be checked out routinely and replaced if necessary. Wheel alignment is something that’ll need to be looked at from time to time, too, particularly if you’ve recently run through a large pothole or bump.
Sytner offers the same services for EVs as it does for petrol and diesel cars, so everything from brake pad replacement to bodywork attention can take place.
That’s right. It’s simply down to the fewer moving parts in an electric car. After all, you don’t need to worry about topping up oil, for example, while worries about clutches and exhausts are a thing of the past too.
It means that if you are looking to cut down routine maintenance costs, driving an EV can prove to be an ideal solution.
Though EVs do need far less maintenance than a petrol or diesel car, there are still some things that will need routine checking. The tyres, for instance, still need to be inspected and replaced if they’re below the legal tread limit, while their pressures need to be looked at to make sure they’re rolling as efficiently as possible.
Suspension components will have to be looked at to check for any wear and tear, while brake pads will require swapping out from time to time too. Conventional cabin filters – sometimes known as pollen filters – will need to be changed, while the air conditioning on older models might require re-gassing if it becomes less effective at cooling a cabin.
In addition, most electric cars use coolant to help maintain a consistent battery temperature. This will need topping up at some points, but it’s something best left to trained technicians to sort out.
Servicing & maintenance at Sytner
At Sytner Group, all dealerships are able to carry out basic maintenance and repair. Certain brands have regional ‘hubs’ where cars are taken for technical expertise, while others have an expert in each dealership that’ll be on-hand to help with more in-depth issues in the unlikely event they occur.
However, even if a dealership doesn’t have an in-house expert, you can still visit your local centre and they’ll be able to get the car looked at in a technical centre of excellence to ensure the best possible care.
Technical expertise
Working on an electric car carries extra risk. After all, there are high voltages running throughout the car which means that technicians do need extra training. At Sytner, all technicians will be trained to work with EVs. Some team members will be there to work ‘around’ the high and low voltage system – and therefore be able to carry out more routine repairs safely and quickly – while jobs that require a more in-depth look at an EV will be conducted by technicians with higher levels of electric car training.
All teams will have some level of EV knowledge as a minimum, while regional technician centres – where cars are taken for more in-depth work – will have technicians which specialise in battery-powered vehicles.
Our facilities
Sytner is in the process of rolling out more charging facilities across its dealerships and brands, ensuring that you’re able to top up your car’s batteries when you visit.
Plus, Sytner is also furthering its ability to safely store batteries at its centres, ensuring that EV batteries are kept in the safest way possible after they’re removed from a vehicle.
Owning an electric car
Running costs
The running costs involved with an EV can be substantially lower than those of an equivalent petrol or diesel car.
Charging a car
If you’re thinking of making the switch to an electric vehicle, how you’re going to charge it will no doubt be one of your primary concerns.
The home of electric
If you’re looking to join the growing number of people buying and driving EVs, we take a look at everything you need to know.