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The engine isn't the only component of this. ICE car maintenance is often required due to things like needed oil changes, broken timing belts, transmission fai
by btilly 8y ago
The engine isn't the only component of this.
ICE car maintenance is often required due to things like needed oil changes, broken timing belts, transmission failures, and other things that do not exist in EVs. When it comes to the fiddly electronic bits, ICE cars actually have more of those. For example if your mechanic tells you that your Mass Air Flow Sensor needs replacing, you're about to have a bad day. But that part doesn't exist in an EV because it doesn't need to regulate the flow of air to the engine.
Some parts that both have also fail less on an EV. For example out of your list, the brakes get approximately 1/3 of the use because most braking is done through regenerative braking.
I am aware of one part that fails more. EV tires need more frequent replacement because EVs generate more torque, particularly at low speeds. While drivers love the fast pickup, your tires don't.
As for independent assessments, attempts like https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030626191731526X?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030626191... have been made. Maintenance was less. By enough in some locations to make the actual total cost of ownership less. As real world data accumulates, more and better comparisons will be made. But given the principles of what is involved, it is pretty clear which way the long-term comparison is going to wind up going once electric technology matures and construction costs come down. (The biggest component of which is that batteries are still on their long-term 7% per year cost reduction.)
- PuffinBlue 8y ago> I am aware of one part that fails more. EV tires need more frequent replacement because EVs generate more torque, particularly at low speeds. While drivers love the fast pickup, your tires don't That's an interesting point. I've not driven an EV yet. Is the difference that marked? Also, I wonder what effect this would have on driving on snow? Presumably there is the ability to do the equivalent of 'put it in second gear to pull away' you often do in an ICE?
- plorkyeran 8y agoIt's a very noticeable difference. Even an underpowered hybrid can feel like a sport car for about a second when starting from a stop. If you turn off traction control and slam the pedal down on snow bad things will happen, but it's not like it's incapable of putting out less torque if you give it a light touch.
- PuffinBlue 8y ago> but it's not like it's incapable of putting out less torque if you give it a light touch. That's the bit I was curious about. It seems obvious that would be the case. It'll be fun to try it one day!
- btilly 8y agoLet's just say that the ability to take off from a dead start is a fun thing to demonstrate for passengers that haven't been in an electric vehicle yet. :-) I have not driven it on snow, so I can't answer how well that works. But there are no gears, nor a need for one. ICE cars generate maximum torque in a relatively narrow range of speeds, which is why you need a transmission to keep the car engine where it is happy while the car itself goes at a wider range of speeds. By contrast electric cars generate their maximum torque at 0 mph, and work fine over a much wider range of speeds. Early Teslas tried to have gears, but the torque was murder on the transmission. So now on the high performance models they simply have different gearing on the front and back wheels. With the idea that at low speed you get most of the force from the back, and at high speed you'll get more power from the front wheels. (The basic one drives like a sports car anyways.)