We all remember how it feels to own our first electric car. It’s slick, has no emissions, and drives smoothly with lesser noise than the standard gasoline-powered vehicle. The carbon footprints or gasoline costs are nothing to worry about. All-in-all it’s an irreplaceable experience for the driver with a green thumb. n’s like all machines, our electric friend may demand its brand of maintenance.
Owning, driving, and maintaining are three different things, and the last one can become a hurdle if not done correctly. You might have a reliable home EV charging station installed with the help of a company like Colonial Home Services. However, if you do not know how to maintain the vehicle, or carry out improper procedures yourself, it can slow down the vehicle, or even disable them. Whenever we’re lost and don’t know what to do, we ask the professionals. Well then, let’s see what the experts have to say.
DIY Maintenance
Let’s start with the things that we, the owners, can do.
EV Battery Packs
Like how the mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell, the battery pack is the heart of an electric car. In other words, before anything else, it’s the essential part of the vehicle.
Here are some ways we can do as owners to prolong the life of EV battery packs:
- Never fully charge nor deplete the battery at regular intervals
This sounds like something of a no-brainer to devices like smartphones, but repeatedly doing so can be harmful to an electric car. Battery degradation happens faster to cars whose full battery packs are depleted to their utmost limit. As a precaution, most EV manufacturers set boundaries that prevent a battery pack from fully charging.
We have to pinpoint when our car battery hits 30% accurately to avoid this. This is the minimum battery percentage that our battery has to be before we charge. If the situation is complicated, 10% will do.
Discharging quickly is also detrimental to our car battery, so let’s slow down with the sudden accelerations if we can
- Do not subject our car to extreme temperatures.
Extreme hot or cold can affect the overall performance of the battery over time. Most EV manufacturers consider outfitting cars with auxiliary cooling systems and heating options in unforeseen situations. But sometimes, we find ourselves in a tight situation, such as being stranded in an arid road or isolated by a blizzard. Here are some things owners can do to prevent further damage, whether on the battery or for our car’s overall welfare.
Extreme Heat:
- Regularly change oil
- Use a heavy-duty sunproof cover to protect our car from the searing heat.
- Use the proper coolant for our car.
- Apply car paint that protects our car from UV rays while driving
Extreme Cold
- Use tire snow socks to prevent further strain during drives
- De-ice frozen handles, locks, and car doors using a lighter
- Use a car cover to protect our car from falling snow
- Apply shaving cream on the car windows, then wipe it off. It acts as a defogger that prevents the windows from becoming blurry.
- Avoid regular use of Quick Charging stations or Fast Chargers
While using emergency charging methods for our electric vehicles may be acceptable in unforeseen circumstances, relying on them as a regular charging solution poses a potential risk of degrading the car battery. Emergency charging methods, such as utilizing standard electrical outlets, might not offer optimal charging conditions and could lead to slower charging speeds. Over time, this can contribute to increased wear and tear on the battery, potentially shortening its lifespan.
In contrast, portable EV chargers provide a more controlled and consistent charging experience, allowing for better battery management and maintenance. Their convenience, along with the flexibility to charge at preferred locations, makes portable chargers a more reliable and sustainable choice for regular use, promoting the overall health and longevity of the electric vehicle battery.
Aside from this, you can also get the right fixed charging station(s) installed in your home or place of work. Once you get them, learn how to plug in and unplug the chargers as needed. Many service companies, like Aardvark Electric, provide charging station installation, so visit website for more details and then get in touch with them for the job.
Professional Maintenance
As responsible car owners, it is our duty to maintain the cleanliness and optimal functioning of our vehicles. To achieve this, it is essential to rely on the expertise of professionals. For instance, to keep the exteriors of the car clean and shiny, we need to seek the assistance of professionals who offer Red Deer auto detailing services or similar offerings elsewhere. By entrusting the task to skilled experts, we can ensure that our vehicles receive the proper care and attention they deserve.
Likewise, when it comes to internal software or hardware problems, it’s best to ask a professional for direct help. While the typical EV is easy to maintain on our own, some things require the meticulous hands of a licensed mechanic. One such maintenance procedure is the battery pack and electric motor replacement.
Many EV manufacturers typically offer long-time warranties on the different powertrain pieces of an electric vehicle. If not for unusual accidents, these pieces, by themselves, can last for many years and thousands of miles.
Owning a car may be akin to taking care of a living creature. We can show it some love, drive it around, feed it with electricity, and maintain its parts. Proper maintenance and care for our Electric Vehicles will prolong their useful life. It’s good to treasure what we have, which is especially true for electric vehicles.
