Overall, electric cars have much simpler designs requiring fewer mechanical parts. As you can imagine, less parts means less maintenance. The simple reason electric cars don’t need oil is because none of these high-friction processes - moving valves, pistons, and cylinders - are present in an electric vehicle.Īs an example, there are over 2,000 moving parts in a gasoline powered car. Over time, this oil needs to be replaced to ensure that friction doesn’t build up in the engine and cause it to overheat, among many other potential problems. So do electric cars use oil? As most people recognize, oil is a crucial component for lubricating the moving parts of a gas-powered engine. Providing the luxury of easy reliable maintenance while cutting your ownership costs dramatically.Īre you considering switching to an electric car but have questions about potential upkeep? If so, you’ve come to the right place! In this post will cover why EVs don’t require oil. Without a complicated engine, routine oil changes are eliminated with electrified vehicles. In fact, electric cars offer various advantages that make their maintenance significantly easier. In an electric vehicle however, the car is powered by a electric motor, eliminating the need for oil. It’s not too surprising that an electric vehicle, which operates much the same as a gas-powered one, has different maintenance requirements.įor example, traditional gas-powered or hybrid vehicles require oil to reduce friction in the essential components of the engine. These moving parts are lubricated and sealed at the factory, eliminating any need for routine maintenance.

EVs are powered by an electric motor that only contains a few moving parts. Do electric cars use oil?Įlectric cars do not require oil. One of the most commonly asked questions about EVs is whether they, too, rely on oil. Windshield Washing Fluid - Depending on the usage of windshield washing fluid, you should refill it as often as needed.Electric cars, for the most part, operate similarly to gas-powered vehicles, with a few notable exceptions. Normally, the brake fluid in electric cars should be replaced after running about 40,000km(25,000miles)ģ. Brake Fluid - A regenerative braking system relies on the brake fluid to work smoothly. You need to add and replace the coolant during the maintenance.Ģ. Coolant - Electric cars rely on coolant flowing through the thermoregulation system to prevent the batteries from overheating.

Though your electric car does not need oil, it requires a routine check on these 3 fluids in EVs Ĭoolant, brake fluid, and windshield washing fluid.ġ. Electric cars use completely different drivetrains, so you will never have to worry about routine oil changes that are necessary for traditional cars. Any need for engine pistons, valves, and other moving parts that need to be lubricated, electric vehicle does not need regular oil changes. From all that metal-on-metal contact, atomic metal flakes are accumulated in the oil, which requires you to drain the old oil and add new oil not only to keep the gasoline-powered engine working smoothly, but for safety and longevity of the engine.Īn electric vehicle moves by consuming a battery while working an electric motor. In this way, the oil change is necessary to the engine for the close-tolerance interactions. The valves, pistons, and other moving components of an engine have to work smoothly past one-another at very high speeds. Traditional gas cars demand oil to wax the moving parts in their combustion engine. Electric cars use completely different drivelines, so you will never have to worry about the oil change topic during your EV maintenance tasks.

Do electric cars need oil changes