Maintenance on an electric car costs an average of €100 to €300 per year. That is significantly less than with gasoline or diesel cars, where you quickly spend €300 to €500 per service appointment. Electric cars have fewer moving parts and no combustion engine, which means there is simply less that can break down. Over five years, you save €1,000 to €1,500 in maintenance costs this way.
Why is maintenance on an electric car cheaper?
An electric car has no combustion engine, and that saves enormously in maintenance costs. With a gasoline or diesel car, you have hundreds of moving parts that wear out and need to be replaced regularly. Think of the exhaust system, transmission, clutch, timing belts, and turbos. In an electric car, all these complex systems are completely absent.
The electric motor has only a handful of moving parts compared to a traditional engine. There is no oil that needs to be changed, no spark plugs that wear out, no air filters that get clogged, and no fuel filters that need attention. The exhaust system with catalytic converter and particulate filter is also not present.
This difference in complexity translates directly to your wallet. While with a gasoline car you regularly have to go to the garage for major service appointments with oil changes and filter replacements, this is largely eliminated with an electric car. The parts that do need maintenance are often cheaper and last longer.
What does need to be maintained?
An electric car also needs maintenance, but it involves different things than with a traditional car. The brakes, for example, wear out much more slowly due to regenerative braking. When you release the accelerator, the car brakes through the electric motor, which simultaneously recovers energy for the battery. This means you use the mechanical brakes much less, so brake pads and discs last longer.
These components do require regular attention:
| Component | Interval | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | Check every 10,000 km | EVs are heavier due to the battery |
| Windshield wipers | Annually or when worn | Same as any car |
| Brake fluid | Every 2-3 years | Absorbs moisture |
| Battery coolant | Every few years | Cools battery and motor |
| Cabin filter | Annually or 15,000 km | Keeps air in car clean |
| Power steering fluid | Check periodically | Required on some models |
The maintenance intervals are often between 20,000 and 30,000 kilometers, or every two years. This is more generous than with gasoline or diesel cars, where you often need a service appointment after just 15,000 kilometers.
What does a service appointment for an electric car cost?
A standard service appointment for an electric car costs between €100 and €200, depending on the brand and where you have the car serviced. For gasoline or diesel cars, you quickly pay €300 to €500 for a minor service. The difference lies mainly in the time required and the parts that need to be replaced.
During a service appointment on your electric car, the mechanic controls and checks:
- Battery and charging system
- Brakes (which are often still in excellent condition)
- Tires and tire pressure
- Suspension and drive shaft
- Top up or replace coolant if necessary
- Replace cabin filter
- Install software updates if available
For gasoline or diesel cars, oil changes, oil filter, air filter, spark plugs, and often fuel filters are added to this. These additional tasks cost time and materials, making the bill higher. Moreover, service appointments for electric cars are less frequent, which further reduces your total annual costs.
Important to know: if you go to a brand dealer for maintenance on your electric car, the costs can be higher. At a universal garage with the right certification, you get the same quality, but often at a more friendly rate.
How much do you save compared to a gasoline car?
Over a period of five years, you save an average of €1,000 to €1,500 in maintenance costs with an electric car compared to a gasoline or diesel car. Many expensive repairs that occur with traditional cars are simply not an issue with an EV:
| Repair | Costs for gasoline/diesel | For EV |
|---|---|---|
| Timing belt | €500 – €1,000 | Not needed |
| Exhaust system | €300 – €800 | Not present |
| Turbo | €1,000 – €2,000 | Not present |
| Clutch | €600 – €1,200 | Not present |
The absence of a combustion engine also means you don’t have to deal with typical engine problems such as oil consumption, EGR valve clogging, or catalytic converter problems. These repairs can be quite expensive for gasoline and diesel cars, especially after 100,000 kilometers.
However, there are also nuances. Electric cars have slightly higher tire costs due to their weight. A set of tires lasts an average of 40,000 to 50,000 kilometers on an EV, while this can be 50,000 to 60,000 kilometers on a lighter gasoline car. Over five years, this amounts to about €200 to €300 extra in tire costs.
Battery degradation is also something to keep an eye on in the long term. After 8 to 10 years, the battery can lose 10-20% of its capacity. With most brands, this falls under warranty if it’s more than 20-30%, but it remains a point of attention. Fortunately, modern batteries are much better than before and often last longer than the car itself.
The MOT test costs the same for electric and gasoline cars. However, electric cars often pass the MOT on the first attempt more frequently because there is simply less that can be wrong. No exhaust emissions to measure, no leaking oil, or worn clutch.
How Autobedrijf Verdonk helps with electric car maintenance
At our location in Veldhoven, we are specially trained for repairs and maintenance on electric and hybrid cars. This is what you can expect from us:
- Specialized in EVs – Our team is trained for electric and hybrid vehicles
- All French brands – Whether it’s a Renault, Peugeot, Citroën, or Dacia
- Transparent prices – You know in advance what you’ll pay, no surprises on the invoice
- Personal service – Direct contact with the mechanic working on your car
- Private and business – We also professionally maintain fleet vehicles with electric cars
Would you like to have your electric car serviced or do you have questions about an upcoming service appointment? Contact us or visit us in Veldhoven. Read more about our history and discover why customers have been returning to us for years.