When it comes to buying an electric car, taking the leap can feel a little intimidating. After all, they’re pretty different than traditional gasoline-powered cars both during your drive time and when it comes to car maintenance. But will they cost you more when it comes to car care? Toyota of North Charlotte is here to give you the details and we think you’ll be surprised by the answer.
Maintaining an electric car isn’t as costly as you think
MAINTENANCE:
You’d think that because electric cars are so high-tech (even more so than their hybrid car siblings), they’d cost a lot to maintain on a routine service schedule. Think again – believe it or not, they’re actually cheaper. Traditional gasoline-powered engines that depend on internal combustion actually have far more parts – hundreds of them, actually – the are required to maintain in order to keep your car up and running. Electric cars, on the other hand, have a dozen or so parts that keep you out on the road with the main focus on the lithium-ion battery. Fewer parts to maintain means less maintenance overall, which translates to cheaper Charlotte auto service bills.
One caveat, though – that lithium-ion battery that we mentioned is expensive to replace if it defects. We’re talking between $5,000 and $6,000 (not quite the $15,000 it used to be, but still a lot). That’s why it’s essential that when you own an electric vehicle you stay on top of routine car care so our Charlotte Toyota service techs can keep an eye on the battery and deal with any leaks or issues early on, before the battery becomes defective.
WARRANTIES:
Don’t freak out about the cost of a new battery just yet, though – electric cars like our N Charlotte Toyotas come with great options. Many offer you 8 years or 100,000 miles of coverage, so you can rest easy in your new ride knowing that you’re covered when it comes to mechanical issues. You can also choose to purchase extended warranties if it helps you sleep better at night.
FUELING:
The thought of changing your fuel source entirely might be a little scary too, and we get it. But fueling an electric car is actually cheaper than gassing up your internal combustion driven car, not to mention more eco-friendly. To charge an EV, you’ll need to take advantage of a fueling station around town (which can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours) or charge in your own garage (which can take up to 12 hours). It takes a bit longer to get your car ready to hit the road, but it’ll save you a ton of money when it comes to fuel costs. #WorthIt
Test drive your new ride at Toyota of N Charlotte
Ready to take an electric car or even a N Charlotte Toyota hybrid for a spin? Come down to see us today! Toyota of N Charlotte is conveniently located just off I-77 at exit 23 in Huntersville.
