November 02, 2023 – Electric Vehicles and Maintenance Costs According to a report from the French media outlet Frandroid, the current cost of purchasing an electric vehicle is generally higher than that of traditional gasoline-powered cars. However, when it comes to maintenance costs, the story appears to be different, except for Tesla. A study by Automotive News reveals that the maintenance costs for electric vehicles and gasoline-powered vehicles are almost identical.
Following a collision, the average repair cost for traditional gasoline cars stands at $4,205 (approximately ¥30,781). In contrast, electric vehicles come in at $4,474 (around ¥32,750), with a difference of less than $300. However, the situation changes when Tesla vehicles are considered.
The study found that the average maintenance cost for Tesla cars is $5,552 (approximately ¥40,641), which is $1,347 more than gasoline cars. Researchers attribute this discrepancy to the significant use of new technologies in Tesla vehicles that are inherently more expensive to repair. Additionally, maintenance costs are influenced by various factors such as the severity of the accident and the location of damaged components.
It’s important to note that electric vehicles often have lower repairability due to factors like their batteries. In fact, many models are challenging to inspect, and it’s often impossible to determine if the power battery is damaged in a collision. In some cases, even minor collisions can pose a risk of the vehicle being declared a total loss, despite crash test results showing that these cars have a strong crash-resistant body.
