Do Electric Cars Use Oil?

Like other Oceanside shoppers considering an EV, you may be wondering, “Do electric cars need oil?” Fortunately, the answer is no, so an electric car oil change will not be necessary! However, you will need to keep tabs on other EV components to ensure it runs smoothly on Escondido roads. Learn more about the EV lifestyle with the team at Quality Chevrolet below!

Electric Vehicle Maintenance – What You Should Know

While you don’t need to worry about electric car oil changes, you will need to monitor and change other fluids in an EV, including the brake fluid, transmission fluid, and coolant. Here are the details:

• Brake Fluid: To ensure your safety on Poway roads, you will need to keep your EV’s brake system properly lubricated, just like any other vehicle.
• Transmission fluid: Like regular cars, an EV also has a transmission, so you must keep up with transmission fluid changes to ensure that your gears are well preserved and move efficiently.
• Coolant: This fluid in your radiator is critical to keeping your battery and vehicle systems from overheating.

You’ll also want to keep your EV’s tires in good condition, so don’t forget to schedule service with Quality Chevrolet for regular tire rotations and wheel alignments! Consult your EV owner’s manual for specific service intervals.

The Anatomy of an Electric Vehicle

Now that you know an electric car oil change isn’t necessary, you may be wondering how an EV works. Simply put, an EV has an electric motor that converts an electrical current from your battery into motion. Magnets alongside the motor are then used to generate torque. You’ll need to charge your EV at home or at a public charging station to ensure it has enough power to run. 

Let’s take a look at the parts that make up an EV and distinguish them from gas-powered vehicles:

• Battery: Stores the electricity used to power the motors as you navigate Carlsbad roads.
• Thermal system: Prevents your motors and electronic components from overheating.
• Charging ports:  The external chargers you use to charge your EV’s battery.
• Traction motors: Turn your vehicle’s wheels.
• Onboard charger: Converts the external charge received from a charging port into DC power.
• DC-DC converter: Converts the high-voltage direct current (DC) power that comes from the battery into the low-voltage DC power that moves the vehicle.

Learn More About the EV Lifestyle with Quality Chevrolet

Do electric cars use oil? No – and that’s just one of the many benefits of owning an EV! If you have any questions about the EV lifestyle, please don’t hesitate to contact us.