what are the common problems on EVs?
Discussion
Now that EVs have been around for a while, presumably they must be showing some problems that are common to the genre, things to look out for if you're thinking about a used one like cambelt replacement schedules, oil leaks etc on internal combustion cars.
But what are they? I haven't seen any regular complaints. Are they problem/issue-free?
But what are they? I haven't seen any regular complaints. Are they problem/issue-free?
The EV drive train is inherently simple, apart from battery degradation which is much less in the real world than first thought there isn't much to go wrong. When was the last time you remember an electric motor falling?
Telsa is a different story, I wouldn't touch one outside of warranty, but thats more to do with Tesla's poor quality control than anything else.
Telsa is a different story, I wouldn't touch one outside of warranty, but thats more to do with Tesla's poor quality control than anything else.
For a short while that will probably be true, but the aftermarket always catches up and it doesn't take long.
Once demand is there there will be indies ready to serve that market too.
Suspension, brakes etc are nothing special, it will just take a while for the powertrain knowledge to trickle down, but then as that's so inherently reliable then that shouldn't be much of an issue anyway.
Once demand is there there will be indies ready to serve that market too.
Suspension, brakes etc are nothing special, it will just take a while for the powertrain knowledge to trickle down, but then as that's so inherently reliable then that shouldn't be much of an issue anyway.
As Prius's get older some problems can emerge with the water-cooled invertor/converter over-heating, or blocked HV battery vent fans/filters causing raised HV battery temps and the occasional fire.
The HV battery cells are linked with copper connector straps which can corrode and cause charging problems, individual cells swell and lose charge but can be replaced by the home 'technician.'
A lot of Prius 'problems' are caused by the 12V auxiliary battery loosing charge and failing to energise the HV battery contactors. Often caused by leaving the doors open, which causes the brake circuits to energise, flattening the aux. batt.
There are plenty of Gen 1&2 Prius around with 150K miles on or more but the rest of the car is getting tired by then.
The HV battery cells are linked with copper connector straps which can corrode and cause charging problems, individual cells swell and lose charge but can be replaced by the home 'technician.'
A lot of Prius 'problems' are caused by the 12V auxiliary battery loosing charge and failing to energise the HV battery contactors. Often caused by leaving the doors open, which causes the brake circuits to energise, flattening the aux. batt.
There are plenty of Gen 1&2 Prius around with 150K miles on or more but the rest of the car is getting tired by then.
Here's a Prius with a pretty impressive mileage...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Prius-1-5-CVT-T-S...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Prius-1-5-CVT-T-S...
I think it's a worrying trend that quite a lot of tesla owners (and maybe other EVs) are deciding they don't need to get the car serviced as 'there's nothing to go wrong'. Amazing they'd spend 100k and not spend a few hundred on a service. Blocked cooling systems, failing to change brake fluid, drive shafts ware, various filters etc may all be detremental if not looked after. Teslas have had issues with door handles, the 12v battery and a lot of replacement motors especially on the early cars. There's also plenty of accident damaged ones around.
BMW i3 there are some well documented issues - all warranty stuff.
Theres a drivetrain error warning that keeps coming up, its due to moisture in the drivetrain somewhere, requires dealer fix.
Theres a problem opening the REX petrol flap, again warranty, theres a manual release as a workaround till its fixed.
Batteries appear not to be a problem, and they're warrantied up to 100k miles anyway.....
Of course many of the initial problems have been ironed out the older cars through the warranty.
Software updates have improved the overall user experience too..
Theres a drivetrain error warning that keeps coming up, its due to moisture in the drivetrain somewhere, requires dealer fix.
Theres a problem opening the REX petrol flap, again warranty, theres a manual release as a workaround till its fixed.
Batteries appear not to be a problem, and they're warrantied up to 100k miles anyway.....
Of course many of the initial problems have been ironed out the older cars through the warranty.
Software updates have improved the overall user experience too..
Boredom I would think.
Seriously, hen the accountants get their fingers in the pie and cost cutting sets in they will be just like IC engined cars with various things going wrong, design faults and the like.
Its not impossible to build hundreds of thousands of mass produced cars (regardless of motivation) that have perfect reliability, its just a case of what they can do with the budget. If the budget means they use cheaper, poorer quality components, they will.
Seriously, hen the accountants get their fingers in the pie and cost cutting sets in they will be just like IC engined cars with various things going wrong, design faults and the like.
Its not impossible to build hundreds of thousands of mass produced cars (regardless of motivation) that have perfect reliability, its just a case of what they can do with the budget. If the budget means they use cheaper, poorer quality components, they will.
exe888 said:
BMW i3 there are some well documented issues - all warranty stuff.
Theres a drivetrain error warning that keeps coming up, its due to moisture in the drivetrain somewhere, requires dealer fix.
Theres a problem opening the REX petrol flap, again warranty, theres a manual release as a workaround till its fixed.
Batteries appear not to be a problem, and they're warrantied up to 100k miles anyway.....
Sounds like BMW are just as good as making reliable EVs as they are at making combustion cars Theres a drivetrain error warning that keeps coming up, its due to moisture in the drivetrain somewhere, requires dealer fix.
Theres a problem opening the REX petrol flap, again warranty, theres a manual release as a workaround till its fixed.
Batteries appear not to be a problem, and they're warrantied up to 100k miles anyway.....
.JonV8V said:
I think it's a worrying trend that quite a lot of tesla owners (and maybe other EVs) are deciding they don't need to get the car serviced as 'there's nothing to go wrong'. Amazing they'd spend 100k and not spend a few hundred on a service. Blocked cooling systems, failing to change brake fluid, drive shafts ware, various filters etc may all be detremental if not looked after. Teslas have had issues with door handles, the 12v battery and a lot of replacement motors especially on the early cars. There's also plenty of accident damaged ones around.
Look at the Tesla service schedule then ask the same question. The Tesla 8 year unlimted mile drivetrain warranty idoes not need you to have the car serviced. There really is very little to maintain on an electric drivertain. The moror has one moving part, and the gearbox is really just a dif.
Once the Model 3 is common I'm seriously thinking of setting uo an indie Tesla service centre in the south east. It will probably be a drivethrough
98elise said:
JonV8V said:
I think it's a worrying trend that quite a lot of tesla owners (and maybe other EVs) are deciding they don't need to get the car serviced as 'there's nothing to go wrong'. Amazing they'd spend 100k and not spend a few hundred on a service. Blocked cooling systems, failing to change brake fluid, drive shafts ware, various filters etc may all be detremental if not looked after. Teslas have had issues with door handles, the 12v battery and a lot of replacement motors especially on the early cars. There's also plenty of accident damaged ones around.
Look at the Tesla service schedule then ask the same question. The Tesla 8 year unlimted mile drivetrain warranty idoes not need you to have the car serviced. There really is very little to maintain on an electric drivertain. The moror has one moving part, and the gearbox is really just a dif.
Once the Model 3 is common I'm seriously thinking of setting uo an indie Tesla service centre in the south east. It will probably be a drivethrough
Tesla have done typical Tesla and went from no service required to every 12 months or 12,500 miles. The unlimited miles/8 year warranty applies only to the battery and the motor. And if they go wrong you get refurbished units. The rest of the car is 50k miles only.
Edited by JonV8V on Monday 2nd January 19:22
JonV8V said:
98elise said:
JonV8V said:
I think it's a worrying trend that quite a lot of tesla owners (and maybe other EVs) are deciding they don't need to get the car serviced as 'there's nothing to go wrong'. Amazing they'd spend 100k and not spend a few hundred on a service. Blocked cooling systems, failing to change brake fluid, drive shafts ware, various filters etc may all be detremental if not looked after. Teslas have had issues with door handles, the 12v battery and a lot of replacement motors especially on the early cars. There's also plenty of accident damaged ones around.
Look at the Tesla service schedule then ask the same question. The Tesla 8 year unlimted mile drivetrain warranty idoes not need you to have the car serviced. There really is very little to maintain on an electric drivertain. The moror has one moving part, and the gearbox is really just a dif.
Once the Model 3 is common I'm seriously thinking of setting uo an indie Tesla service centre in the south east. It will probably be a drivethrough
Tesla have done typical Tesla and went from no service required to every 12 months or 12,500 miles. The unlimited miles/8 year warranty applies only to the battery and the motor. And if they go wrong you get refurbished units. The rest of the car is 50k miles only.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 2nd January 19:22
So what does an annual service cost? Do they offer long term plans?
REALIST123 said:
So what does an annual service cost? Do they offer long term plans?
Quite a lot £375/£650 depending on year but they include a full alignment test. It's typical tesla though, they list seperately key fob battery replacement which is a 2 min, £2 piece if work and include the bulk under "multipoint inspection" and offer little expansion on what that is.
JonV8V said:
REALIST123 said:
So what does an annual service cost? Do they offer long term plans?
Quite a lot £375/£650 depending on year but they include a full alignment test. It's typical tesla though, they list seperately key fob battery replacement which is a 2 min, £2 piece if work and include the bulk under "multipoint inspection" and offer little expansion on what that is.
Looks quite expensive, especially given the supposed lower level of complexity and maintenance needed in comparison with an ICE car. There seems to be an element of looking for things to do to justify the cost; I can't imagine wipers really needing replacement every 12500 miles.
REALIST123 said:
JonV8V said:
REALIST123 said:
So what does an annual service cost? Do they offer long term plans?
Quite a lot £375/£650 depending on year but they include a full alignment test. It's typical tesla though, they list seperately key fob battery replacement which is a 2 min, £2 piece if work and include the bulk under "multipoint inspection" and offer little expansion on what that is.
Looks quite expensive, especially given the supposed lower level of complexity and maintenance needed in comparison with an ICE car. There seems to be an element of looking for things to do to justify the cost; I can't imagine wipers really needing replacement every 12500 miles.
AP2 is slowly rolling out in the US, auto steer limited to something like 44mph.. useful.. especially as it's only meant fir divided/dual carriageways. I'm sure that limit will go up but why isn't it just sorted, then make it available?
JonV8V said:
REALIST123 said:
JonV8V said:
REALIST123 said:
So what does an annual service cost? Do they offer long term plans?
Quite a lot £375/£650 depending on year but they include a full alignment test. It's typical tesla though, they list seperately key fob battery replacement which is a 2 min, £2 piece if work and include the bulk under "multipoint inspection" and offer little expansion on what that is.
Looks quite expensive, especially given the supposed lower level of complexity and maintenance needed in comparison with an ICE car. There seems to be an element of looking for things to do to justify the cost; I can't imagine wipers really needing replacement every 12500 miles.
AP2 is slowly rolling out in the US, auto steer limited to something like 44mph.. useful.. especially as it's only meant fir divided/dual carriageways. I'm sure that limit will go up but why isn't it just sorted, then make it available?
BMW charge £4/500 for 5 years/50K, all filters and fluids. MB are more expensive but work out around £300/350 a year for the first 4 years.
Isn't the issue with AP more a legislative than technical one?
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