What maintenance does an electric car need? (2026)

CRAVEUO EV Export · Sources last checked 2026-11-01 · General information. Your owner's manual and warranty booklet come first. Nothing here is a promise or a quote.

Quick answer

Less than a petrol car, but not none. There is no engine oil, and the US Department of Energy says the battery, motor and electronics need little to no regular maintenance. You still need to look after tyres, brakes, brake fluid, coolant, the cabin filter and the 12V battery. A typical schedule asks for a check every year or 20,000 km. Keep the records, because a warranty may depend on them.

A real schedule: BYD Atto 3

This comes from the Atto 3 owner's manual (printed pp. 156 to 159). It shows one car. Others differ.

That table is shortened. The full list also covers suspension, steering, lights and wheel alignment. It ends the common idea that an EV has "no fluids": this car has brake fluid, coolant and gear oil.

Other makers

XPENG's Australian maintenance checklist gives common intervals and says the manual takes precedence:

• Coolant: about every 2 years, a shorter interval than BYD's above.
• Brake fluid: about every 2 years.
• Tyre rotation: about every 20,000 km.
• Cabin air filter: about once a year.

So don't carry one maker's schedule over to another car.

What you don't need

The US Alternative Fuels Data Center says EVs have fewer fluids, such as engine oil, and that brake wear is significantly reduced by regenerative braking. An EV has no engine oil, oil filter, spark plugs or exhaust.

How much it saves

A 2021 US Department of Energy report from Argonne National Laboratory estimated about 6 cents a mile for an EV against about 10 cents for a petrol car, or around 40% less. It is a US estimate for scheduled upkeep. Parts and labour in your country may be very different, and we have no equivalent figure for Chinese EVs abroad.

The parts owners forget

12V battery

An EV still has one. BYD says its capacity is lower in cold weather (printed p. 109), so keep it charged in winter. See our storage guide for long stops.

Brakes

Regeneration reduces brake wear, but the pads and discs still need inspection. BYD checks them every 12 months or 20,000 km.

Coolant

XPENG says to use only EV-specific coolant. BYD says to use the same type as the original (printed p. 109), because the wrong one can damage the cooling system.

Charge port

XPENG says to wipe it dry. Stop using a port with burn marks or debris, and have it checked.

Underbody

XPENG advises checking after rough roads. BYD says the battery is under the chassis (printed p. 109), so avoid hitting it.

When to service more often

BYD lists severe conditions (printed p. 159) that shorten some intervals, including:

• Dusty roads or salt-laden air.
• Bumpy, puddled or mountain roads.
• Cold weather.
• Taxi use.
• Heavy city traffic in high heat.

Many owners in hot or dusty countries fall into this group. See our hot weather guide.

Who can do the work

Some items are simple. Checking tyre pressure and washer fluid is fine for an owner. Leave high-voltage parts to trained people. Orange cables and anything marked high voltage are not for home repair. EV FireSafe warns that high-voltage cables can be dangerous when exposed.

Ask these before you choose a workshop:

1. Do you have trained high-voltage staff and the right gloves and tools?
2. Can your scanner read faults on my model?
3. Can you get brake parts, filters and coolant for this car?

For a China-market car abroad, see our warranty and repair guide. BYD recommends its authorised dealers or service providers (printed p. 156), so check how an independent workshop affects your warranty.