Important EV Maintenance and DIY Tips Every Owner Needs to Know!!

Generally majority of people have a misconception about EVs that they have almost zero maintenance, but in reality EVs do have maintenance, however if we compare with the ICE vehicles, then they have considerably less maintenance. But if neglected, then it can impact your EVs range and battery life, with a significant effect on your braking too. 

So let’s share some important EV maintenance and DIY Tips, which you can implement daily to enhance your EVs efficiency and increase your battery life. 

TIP 1: Tyre Pressure & Wheel Care

EVs are generally heavier than ICE vehicles by approximately 200-300 Kg and because of the big battery pack and additional weight, there is a considerable amount of pressure on tyres, that’s why it is important to not neglect your EV’s tyre pressure. 

Thus it is advisable to check your tyre pressure every two weeks in order to ensure optimum tyre pressure in your car, every time you drive the vehicle. Due to low tyre pressure, your EVs range can be reduced significantly by 3-5% and uneven wear of your tyres can also reduce your battery life by 20%. 

DIY TIP: You can buy a simple digital tyre pressure inflator on Amazon, starting at Rs 500. Just plug it in and you are good to go. If your EVs have regenerative braking technology, you are bound to have uneven wear on your rear wheels, so it is necessary to initiate your tyre rotation every 10,000 Km for enhanced efficiency. 

✅    Check Pressure Every 2 weeks. 

✅    Rotate every 10,000 Km.

TIP 2: Coolant & Brake Check 

EVs don’t have engine oil, but they definitely have coolant which regulates the temperature of batteries and motors and prevents them from overheating, especially in the hot and humid climates of India. So overheating leads to battery degradation which eventually leads to significant range reduction. 

So it is necessary to check the coolant level and brake fluid at every 10,000 Km at the service station, in order to ensure that there is no temperature rise in recent years. If your battery uses a liquid-cooled battery pack just like Tata Nexon EV or MG ZS EV, then your coolant top-up and replacement schedule is mentioned in your OEM manual. However, it is recommended to change your coolant every 3 years. 

✅    Check Coolant regularly

✅    Check in every 10,000 Km.

TIP 3: Battery Health & Charging

Let’s talk about the heart of EVs, which is the battery. There is a golden rule for maintaining your battery life span is 80-20 rule. This rule states that don’t discharge your battery to a complete 0% and don’t even charge it up to 100% SOC. 

The scientific reason behind this rule is that lithium-ion cells tend to wear out at extreme ends, whether it is low battery percentage or high, thus in mid-range, the lithium-ion batteries have a good chemistry stability, thus keeping the batteries at the mid-level enhances the life of the batteries. 

If you are a daily driver, then maintain charging levels between 20% to 80% and keep 100% charging only for long highway trips. 

PRO-TIP:  Don’t frequently use high-speed DC charging. Use it once a week as frequent DC charging may lead to faster battery degradation specially in hot climates. 

✅    80-20 Rule = Longer Battery Life.

✅    Avoid 100% Charge Daily.

✅    Fast Charging = Use Occasionally. 

TIP 4: Software Updates & Diagnostics

There is a striking resemblance between EVs and smartphones as they are just like smartphones on wheels. This is because software updates are as crucial as mechanical service. Big EV players like Tata, BYD, MG and Tesla provide regular OTA updates which provide bug fixes with updates on battery management and regenerative braking. 

So better update your EVs regularly instead of updating it later and if you think your EVs performance is dropping or there is a significant impact in overall range, so it's better to conduct a quick diagnostics test as the majority of OEMs show battery health percentage in their dedicated app. 

✅    Keep Software Updates

✅    Better Range + Smooth Drive

TIP 5: Brakes, Suspension, & Cabin Care 

EVs are equipped with regenerative braking technology that after braking, the motor recovers the energy and the result is that brake pads run 2-3 times longer as compared to ICE cars. But there is a problem of rusting, as if you are not frequently driving your EV, then there can be a significant amount of rust deposited. 

Hence it has a simple solution, use manual brakes at least once in a week, in order to eradicate the risk of rust in future and to rub off your rusk. At the Cabin side, EVs have sensors, cameras, and air filters which are more sensitive, thus it is required to regularly clean the dashboard and vents, and if there is an option to replace the cabin air filter then change it every 15,000 Km. 

✅    Manual Brakes Weekly

✅    Cabin Clean = Sensor Safe

TIP 6: Bonus Tips

• Don’t overinflate your tyres thinking it will increase your range as overinflation can increase the braking distance. 
• Don’t use a high-pressure jet on your lower area of the EV’s battery as high water pressure can damage your car’s batteries, instead use a gentle water stream only. 

• Keep your EV parked in a shade as exposing your EV into direct sunlight can cause heat which may lead to a faster battery degradation. 

✅    Avoid Jet Spray

✅    Park in a Shade

✅    No Overinflation 

Conclusion

So it is clear now that EV maintenance is not zero but has become smarter and you just don’t have to worry about frequent service schedules as in ICE vehicles. But if you follow our DIY tips then it will enhance your battery life, range and performance, eventually increasing your EV’s performance.