20-01-2022

Does an electric car need extra maintenance?

An electric car is environmental friendly, smooth and comfortable to drive and very attractive in terms of running costs due to the large price difference between electricity and fuel. All kinds of reasons to say goodbye to a fuel car and switch to a fully electric one. But what about the maintenance of an electric car?

Let’s start with the main reasons why a regular fuel car needs maintenance. Firstly because it contains many rotating parts. A modern internal combustion engine (ICE) is very complicated, with countless moving parts and meticulous details to keep the engine running as smoothly and efficiently as possible, and according to the strictest emission standards at the same time.

Most moving parts are subject to wear and therefore require lubrication. Due to the development of heat, many parts also need to be cooled. But coolant and engine oil must be replaced over time. This also applies to filter systems for oils and fuels. Due to wear and aging, there are also parts that may break down over time and need to be replaced as a precaution.

Much less complicated

An electric car that is powered by an electric motor doesn’t have all this. The technology of an electric motor is highly advanced on one hand, but considerably less complicated compared to an ICE. There are significantly fewer parts that rotate and wear out. An electric car doesn’t even have a gearbox. As a result, there are also much fewer components that need to be cooled and lubricated. An electric car therefore has no liquids and filters on board that need to be replaced over time.

Regenerative braking

The brakes of an electric car also wear less than with a regular fuel car. This is because an electric car has a regenerative braking system. As soon as you take your foot off the throttle, the electric motor works directly as a generator. It uses the kinetic energy released during rollout and immediately starts charging the battery. Depending on the selected mode, this has a braking effect, causing the car to slow down faster than usual. As a result, especially in city traffic, you don’t have to use the brake pedal as often and the brake pads and discs wear less quickly.
Carefree driving at favourable costs

So the clear answer is: all this adds up to lower maintenance costs for an electric car than with a comparable fuel car. On the other hand, there are all kinds of other things that need to be checked during the regular maintenance of an electric car and for which specialist staff is needed. Think, for example, of the advanced high-voltage system and the strict safety requirements involved.

The maintenance interval of a MG is set at 24,000 kilometres or once a year. You can also receive a quote in advance from an authorized MG service location, so you know exactly what to expect. Furthermore, all MG models come standard with a 7-year/150,000 kilometre manufacturer’s warranty. The warranty is of course transferable to the next owner and applies to the entire vehicle including the lithium-ion battery and electric motor.

And last but not least: when you purchase an new MG, customers are entitled to free roadside assistance during the first year after registration. However, each time a MG is serviced at an authorized MG service location, roadside assistance is extended for one year, free of charge, for a maximum of seven consecutive years.