Over the past few years, electric cars have grown more and mar in popularity. Especially in Canberra, electric cars seem to be everywhere. This brings up the question, where do you go in Canberra to get you electric car fixed. And what do you need to know before heading to your Canberra car mechanic. So here are a few things to keep in mind when before you buy caring for your electric vehicle or EV, but also what do you need to know before buying your electric car.
Overall Cost
The number of electric cars in Australia is only going to grow over the next years. According to a report by Queensland Government, EV’s are more expensive to purchase than a traditional fossil fuel vehicle, however, the operating costs of EV are much lower. Because Australia now has a larger number of somewhat affordable and luxury electric vehicles available in Australia, or at least there will be by the end of 2019. Similarly, their driving range, too, is better than ever thanks to the new Kia e-Niro which have been able to travel around 600km on a single charge. This will only get easier as the Australian Government recently boosted an initiative with a $6 million injection of funds to help ensure a charging station at least every 200km. High-speed charging stations can now also be found in some shopping centres, hotels, airports, tourist attractions and places of business.
How do I choose an electric vehicle?
Although this seems obvious it is important to choose a vehicle that best suits your needs. Ask yourself things like:
- The distance you travel each day
- Whether your route is flat or hilly, city or suburbs
- How many people you will be carrying?
- Will you need to recharge an electric SUV or sedan?
Driving through city traffic is actually an advantage in an electric vehicle with the energy harvested from hard braking used to regenerate the battery. The electric cars available in Australia, generally have a real-world range in excess of 200km so you should manage most of the working week without a recharge.
Maintenance Checklist
- Look after the battery and don’t overcharge (Nissan recommends charging to 80%)
- Take care of the brakes and get them serviced as per the logbook
- Make sure your tyres are aligned and balanced by your mechanic during servicing
- Check and top up engine fluids like coolant and brake fluid
- Double-check your manufacturer’s warranty and understand the servicing fine print
- Speak to the dealership or manufacturer about battery replacement costs
- Always use a certified mechanic who has experience with electric cars
What else should you know about maintenance:
Electric vehicles have less moving parts and require fewer consumables (like oil and spark plugs). This results in resulting in lower maintenance costs. Most of what you’ll find under the hood of an electric car is battery. The array of power cells that makes an electric car run is large, heavy and complex. It doesn’t require much day-to-day maintenance, but as anybody with a laptop computer can tell you, the battery will gradually lose its ability to hold a charge. The longer you own an electric car, the shorter its driving range will become, which will ultimately need to be replaced. The minimal maintenance and low car servicing costs justifies the overall cost of purchasing non-luxury EVs. More exciting news, EVs are projected to will cost the same as equivalent fossil fuel vehicles by 2025.