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

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We not too long ago acquired an e 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 maintain 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 car was 12 years previous and the AC was by no means serviced or touched and it was nonetheless working nice after I bought 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 nice. 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’t discover any engineering motive for needing to interchange the desiccant at 7 years if the AC is working good. Aside from, “GM says so.”

I assumed it could be informative and fascinating so that you can discover actual solutions to why these two objects are alleged to be serviced. If it doesn’t should be achieved on the intervals acknowledged I see environmental benefits along with money and time financial savings.”

On this article, I need 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 need to speak about two approaches to upkeep: proactive and reactive.

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

However, there are some sorts of upkeep that don’t work this manner. 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 bought 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 would possibly go 50,000+ miles on a set. For issues like that, you modify/repair as wanted.

The hot button is to know which upkeep objects you may get away with doing as wanted and which you actually shouldn’t. For instance, a gasoline automobile’s timing belt needs to be modified on schedule as a result of a failed timing belt can destroy the engine. No matter how good it seems to be, you’d go forward and care for 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 could be taken care of on an “as needed” reactive foundation, however you need to regulate issues to keep away from critical issues.

Personally, I’d remember the fact that a liquid cooling system doesn’t require something particular to perform its operate. In a pinch, you possibly can put water in a radiator or EV coolant loop to make it to the subsequent city if in case you have a leak. Within the film Crimson 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, it is advisable to use a coolant testing package to test the standard of your coolant earlier than the primary freeze comes. If the coolant doesn’t take a look at properly, you’re up for a flush-fill. If it might probably deal with the approaching freeze, you’re good.

On the desiccant packet, you’ll most likely need to go forward and do this, however chances are high that you just’re already up for some type of air-con upkeep by the point you get to the 7-year mark. In case you 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, positively get that packet modified.

Checking your automobile out 2-4 occasions per yr for different points that might come up is a usually good thought. 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 the rest that appears bizarre will most likely want additional work, and this can occur extra because the car ages.

Even newer EVs needs 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 improper, however you by no means actually know for positive!

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