Reader Query: Excessive Mileage & Lengthy-Time period EV Upkeep – CleanTechnica – Uplaza

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We just lately obtained an electronic mail from a reader about sustaining EVs as they rack up mileage and because the years go by. For individuals who solely lease EVs and swap to a brand new one each 2-3 years, this usually issues little or no, as you don’t often get to the purpose the place an EV wants greater than perhaps tires, wipers, and wiper fluid in that point. However, in the event you’re trying to hold an EV for 5-10 years or drive one into the bottom, you’ll most likely have questions like these:

“I own two Bolt EVs (2019, 2022), and the 2019 is approaching its 5 year coolant replacement maintenance. And the AC desiccant is supposed to be replaced every 7 years. One of the additional environmental benefits of EVs is less service and less damage due to fluid changes. The maintenance items mentioned above are in the Bolt owner’s manual in Chapter 11, Service and Maintenance.

I find it hard to believe that the coolant in my Bolt needs to be changed after five years. It is not subjected to the extremes seen in ICE vehicles (heat, contamination). It seems like GM applied the same thinking used for ICE vehicles to EVs. I understand there are additives in coolant that degrade. If that’s the case, wouldn’t the degradation be less in an EV? Can we add back any additives and continue using what is in the vehicle? I’ve never seen a good engineering reason for why I need to change my coolant at 5 years other than, “GM says so.”

One other upkeep merchandise I’ve by no means seen defined is the AC desiccant substitute at 7 years. I’ve owned a number of autos for 7 years or extra that by no means had the AC system serviced and it labored nice till I removed them. The final automobile was 12 years outdated and the AC was by no means serviced or touched and it was nonetheless working high-quality once I offered it this spring. There’s no approach I’m going to have a tech open my AC system at 7 years whether it is nonetheless working high-quality. That’s a recipe for catastrophe and complications to not point out potential environmental points. I perceive the Bolt makes use of R-1234yf, however as with the coolant, I can not discover any engineering motive for needing to interchange the desiccant at 7 years if the AC is working good. Apart from, “GM says so.”

I believed it is perhaps informative and attention-grabbing so that you can discover actual solutions to why these two gadgets are speculated to be serviced. If it doesn’t must be carried out on the intervals said I see environmental benefits along with money and time financial savings.”

On this article, I wish to speak about sustaining EVs over the long term, the place it can save you a couple of dollars, and the place you possibly can’t.

Proactive vs Reactive Upkeep

Earlier than I get into specifics, I wish to speak about two approaches to upkeep: proactive and reactive.

Car manuals usually suggest proactive upkeep. As a substitute of ready for issues to go mistaken or to lose perform, the handbook says to do a factor each X miles or X months/years. This strategy is nice since you change issues earlier than the typical time to failure/degradation. Which means you by no means fall quick, and you retain the dearer issues from creating. Sounds good, proper?

However, there are some sorts of upkeep that don’t work this fashion. For instance, you wouldn’t change your tires each X miles, as a result of too many issues have an effect on tire life. Some folks will solely get 10,000 miles out of a set of tires as a result of they’ve acquired a lead proper foot. Different folks will drive very conservatively, rotate tires religiously, and can by no means run over a nail. With the correct tires, you may go 50,000+ miles on a set. For issues like that, you modify/repair as wanted.

The hot button is to know which upkeep gadgets you will get away with doing as wanted and which you actually shouldn’t. For instance, a gasoline automotive’s timing belt ought to be modified on schedule as a result of a failed timing belt can destroy the engine. No matter how good it appears to be like, you’d go forward and handle that.

Inspection & Testing Is The Key To Reactive Upkeep Gadgets

The reader e-mail above asks about altering coolant and altering the desiccant packet within the air con system. Each of these things might be taken care of on an “as needed” reactive foundation, however you need to control issues to keep away from critical issues.

Personally, I’d understand that a liquid cooling system doesn’t require something particular to perform its perform. In a pinch, you possibly can put water in a radiator or EV coolant loop to make it to the following city if in case you have a leak. Within the film Pink Daybreak, they piss within the radiator to get away from the communists. The principle motive you employ a particular coolant is that you just don’t need the coolant to freeze when winter comes, which might suck as a result of water expands because it turns into ice, and that enlargement breaks issues.

So, for the coolant, you might want to use a coolant testing equipment to verify the standard of your coolant earlier than the primary freeze comes. If the coolant doesn’t take a look at nicely, you’re up for a flush-fill. If it could deal with the approaching freeze, you’re good.

On the desiccant packet, you’ll most likely wish to go forward and try this, however chances are high that you just’re already up for some form of air con upkeep by the point you get to the 7-year mark. For those who get the AC serviced previous to that point or want a compressor, it’s most likely a good suggestion to have it modified at that time. However, in the event you see rust or indicators of moisture within the system, undoubtedly get that packet modified.

Checking your automotive out 2-4 occasions per yr for different points that might come up is a usually good concept. For an EV, this implies inspecting the hoses, pans, suspension, brakes, and the underside of the battery pack for indicators of issues. Leaks, cracks, or anything that appears bizarre will most likely want additional work, and it will occur extra because the automobile ages.

Even newer EVs ought to be inspected usually as a part of the upkeep, even in the event you comply with all proactive upkeep suggestions. Issues are usually much less prone to go mistaken, however you by no means actually know for positive!

Featured picture: two coolant tanks below the hood of a Bolt EUV, by Jennifer Sensiba.