Do Electric Cars Need Servicing & MOT?

Those who are new to electric cars or planning to get one may be wondering if they need regular servicing and MOT tests on an annual basis. The MOT Mansfield is an annual test to check if your vehicle is roadworthiness, safe and environmentally friendly. Once the car turns three years old it needs to go through an MOT test and electric cars are no exception to this rule. 

But there are some differences compared to combustion engine cars that run on petrol and diesel. A car service describes the interval maintenance that cars require to keep them in good working condition. However, there is no legal requirement for servicing your car. Just like fuel cars, electric cars need servicing but there are some interval differences as well. 

In this blog post, we will talk about everything related to electric car service and MOT Mansfield, if you are interested in knowing more about electric cars then keep reading. 

As there is no legal requirement to force you to service your car. But if you bought a new car using finance, there may be a contract that requires you to get it serviced according to the manufacturer's guidelines.

Service rules come in two main forms that are scheduled and variable. On average, scheduled car servicing is performed every 10,000 miles or every 12 months whichever comes first.

Variable servicing is performed by checking the car’s onboard sensors to determine when the car needs to be serviced. Servicing intervals depend on how you drive and the sort of journey you undertake will decide when your car needs service under a variable regime. But in general, they can stretch intervals to 24 to 28 months. 

Electric cars are simple and have fewer moving components, this is the reason why many car manufacturers set longer service intervals for electric cars compared to fuel cars. They also opt for fixed service rather than variable regimes for electric cars.

If we take the example of a petrol or diesel Ford car on a fixed regime, you will usually need an oil change after completing 10,000 miles and 12 months, whichever comes first. While a variable regime it can stretch to 18,000 miles and 24 months. If we take a Volkswagen ID.3 which is an electric car, it needs an inspection every two years with no mileage limit. 

Tesla is one of the brands that only produces electric vehicles. Their car doesn’t require annual servicing or regular fluid changes. Specific requirements may vary depending on which Tesla model you own, but if we take the example of the Tesla Model 3, it needs cabin air filter replacement and brake fluid inspection every two years.

One of the unique things about an electric car is that they have fewer running components than a combustion engine car. An engine and gearbox have roughly more than two thousand parts, whereas an electric one has around twenty or thirty. 

Electric cars don’t have oil in them and don’t require regular oil and oil filter changes. But, it is still important to service your electric car. The brakes may last longer because the regenerative braking does much of the work but pads and discs still wear and need to be replaced on a regular basis.

The same goes for your steering and suspension, check for any signs of damage in them. The electric car batteries are heavy and bushes can wear over time. 

Car dealerships will also usually perform a health check of an electric car's main battery when you leave your car for service. While electric cars don’t have radiators so they use coolant in the same way internal combustion engines do, their battery packs have cooling systems which will be checked during a car service. The Kia Soul battery coolant needs to be replaced after 30,000 miles or every three years.

The components which are checked in an electric car may vary depending on the car brand and model, but in overall terms, we have mentioned a list of components that are inspected and replaced if necessary:

The rules are the same for electric cars as those for combustion engine cars which run on petrol and diesel. The car needs to be serviced once completed its third anniversary of its first registration, it will need an MOT every year. If you are unable to renew your car’s MOT you will be liable to a fine of up to £1,000.

If you are a person who forgets things really quickly then you can sign up for an MOT reminder service to get a notification sent to your email address or your phone from the government a month before your car’s MOT due date. Just simply search for “MOT reminder service” online to do this and visit the government website to use the free MOT checker service. 

At last, we hope you have your doubts clear related to electric car MOT and car service Mansfield. If you are planning to get yourself a brand-new EV then be sure to consider these points.