The long-term servicing costs of an electric vehicle (EV) are usually lower than those of a traditional petrol or diesel car. This contributes to the average total cost of owning an EV being lower in comparison.
Servicing an electric car vs petrol
EV batteries have relatively few moving parts compared to traditional cars. Petrol and diesel engines have hundreds of components, each of which need to be maintained. There’s simply a lot less which could go wrong under the hood of an EV.
That being said, EVs still have steering, suspension, brakes, and other areas which will need maintenance. The service intervals on an EV are much longer than with traditional cars. A standard EV might only need a checkup once per year, or every 10,000 miles. That means lower maintenance costs.
Be sure you get your EV checked by a qualified engineer. They’ll usually offer you a service plan which covers the costs of maintenance for a given number of years or miles.
Vehicle tax on electric cars
Because the UK government is trying to incentivise phasing out petrol and diesel cars, your EV could be exempt from some road taxes. The GOV.UK website has the latest information on what taxes apply to what vehicles.
Insuring an electric car
Depending on your insurer, getting cover for an EV might be about the same price as a traditional vehicle. EVs are typically less risky to insure. Shop around, you might find a specialist insurer for EVs who can provide more affordable cover.
Electric cars vs petrol: overall long-term costs
EVs can be more expensive than traditional cars to buy, and could be roughly the same to insure. Despite this, the cost of fuel and servicing are almost always lower.
When you consider that EVs could also be exempt from some taxes, it’s very likely that the total cost of owning an EV will be much cheaper than a petrol or diesel car.
