Do electric cars have belts and hoses?

February 15th, 2023 by

Electric vehicles (EVs), including electric utility vehicles (EUVs), don’t have the same belts and hoses that you’d find in a conventional car. For one thing, they don’t have internal combustion engines, which removes many of the components and fluids that you’d find in a traditional Chevrolet. On the other hand, there are still some hoses involved, such as those to power your Bolt EUV’s brakes. Take a look at how an EV’s internal parts influence the type of maintenance it requires in this guide put together by our EV specialists at Cochran Chevrolet.

What Belts and Hoses Does an EV Have?

blue chevy bolt parked on gravel

You won’t find any of the same belts and hoses in an EV that help power an internal combustion engine. This means no engine oil and fluids flowing between moving components. The lithium-ion battery in an EV provides energy to the electric motor, which powers your vehicle directly. The only exception to this rule is if you purchase a hybrid vehicle, which still has an internal combustion engine that’s supported by an electric motor.

A standard gas-powered engine needs many more belts and hoses than an EV. For instance, a drive belt transfers power from your vehicle’s engine to its wheels. Hoses transfer coolant around the engine’s components to ensure they remain at a safe temperature while your vehicle is running. All these belts and hoses need regular checkups and maintenance to prevent your vehicle from developing mechanical problems.

Despite many significant differences from a gas-powered car, an EV, such as the Bolt EV or soon-to-be-released Equinox EV, has some parts in common. EVs still require a braking system, although the brake pads are typically exposed to less strain than those in a traditional car. They also require fluid to control the vehicle’s steering system. As a result, an EV contains some hoses, including power steering hoses and brake lines, which you’ll need to maintain.

What Type of Maintenance Does an EV Need?

Common maintenance tasks in a gas-powered vehicle, such as engine oil changes, no longer feature during EV maintenance. However, you’ll still need to get your EV’s tires rotated, battery coolant checked and topped up, and steering and suspension inspected on a regular basis. Tires will typically need rotating after 7,500 miles of driving, which works out at about twice a year for the average driver. You should also get the fluid levels for the battery and cabin heater coolant inspected at the same time to see if they require topping up.

EVs also need to have their brake fluid flushed and brake pads changed, although you won’t need to perform these tasks as frequently as in a gas-powered car. For example, Chevy recommends in its maintenance manual for the Bolt EV that you flush the brake fluid every five years.

The main reason why the brake pads wear more slowly in an EV is that EVs use regenerative braking to help them slow down. This describes a process whereby the battery stores the power produced by the motor rather than it being transferred to the wheels, which helps the car slow down. There are of course instances where you’ll need to slam on the brakes, but an EV’s brake pads are subject to less friction than those in a gas-powered vehicle.

You’ll find all the components you need to keep your EV running smoothly at our Chevy parts department. Our team of parts experts can provide Youngstown drivers such as you with advice about the best equipment for your EV, while our service team can install new parts and perform maintenance to a professional standard.

Is an EV Cheaper To Maintain Than a Gas-Powered Car?

It’s difficult to answer this question definitively, since the cost to maintain your vehicle depends to a considerable degree on your driving habits, local weather conditions, and what you use your vehicle for. However, several studies have concluded that maintaining an EV is 20%-35% cheaper than maintaining a gas-powered car. The lower cost reflects the smaller number of components that require checking and replacing on a regular basis in an EV.

One common concern about EV maintenance is the cost to replace the battery pack. An EV’s battery is by far its most expensive component. However, most manufacturers, including Chevy, equip their EVs with a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty on their batteries. Therefore, the warranty is likely to cover issues that occur within this time.

Batteries can last significantly longer than the manufacturer’s warranty. Keeping in mind the typical length of time a car stays on the road, it’s quite likely that the vehicle will finish its working life before the battery breaks down.

How Often Should You Book Maintenance for Your EV?

To figure out how often to service your EV, you should consult the owner’s manual for a detailed breakdown of maintenance tasks. As a rule, you’ll want to have your EV’s tires rotated and a multi-point inspection carried out every six months or so. You should also replace the windshield wipers once a year.

Several EV manufacturers suggest having your EV go through a thorough maintenance checkup after every 20,000 miles or two years of driving. Jobs that may require doing less frequently include changing the cabin air filter, flushing the brake fluid, and having the air conditioning desiccant changed.

If you’d like to know more about what it takes to maintain an electric car, how to charge it, or anything else, don’t hesitate to contact us today. Here at Cochran Chevrolet, we’re excitedly following Chevy’s rapid transformation toward a fleet of EVs. We’ve already seen the introduction of the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV over recent years, and we’re looking forward with enthusiasm to the Silverado EV and Equinox EV arriving in our Youngstown, OH, showroom later this year.

To learn more about your car and what kind of hoses it has, check out our repair page to know the signs on when to bring it in. You can also book an appointment online to let our professionals take care of your car’s maintenance needs, or swing by our #1 Cochran dealership to chat with one of our auto technicians in person. We’ll be happy to provide you with advice so you can get back on the road as soon as possible.

Chevy Bolt EV sulla rampa di lancio! by Automobile Italia is licensed with CC BY 2.0

Posted in Electric Vehicles, Tips