8 Electric Car Service Questions

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet is your local destination for top-quality Chevy service. Crawfordville drivers know that Chevy is a leader in the transition to electric vehicles, but they might not know the unique way electric car service works. You might ask, “Do electric cars need oil?” or “Do electric cars have a transmission?” Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet is here to help! We’re going to go over the basics and make sure you can purchase your next vehicle with your mind at ease. We also have a schedule service form if you’re looking to get your current Chevy vehicle looked at in Tallahassee.

1. Does an Electric Car Need Oil?

If your car runs solely on electricity, you don’t need to get an oil change. This is because electric vehicles don’t have a gasoline-powered combustion engine, negating the need for oil. In a gasoline vehicle, oil is there to lubricate the engine. When you replace the engine with an electric motor, there are no moving parts that need to be lubricated with motor oil.

Worth Noting: Hybrid vehicles run on a combination of gas and electricity, meaning you still need regular oil changes in your Quincy hybrid.

2. Do Electric Cars Have Horsepower Figures?

Your electric car has horsepower, but it’s not always measured as such. You might come across information that quotes the power of an electric vehicle in “kW.” Kilowatts and horsepower describe the same thing, that is, power output. You can go to Google Search and search “kW to hp,” where you’ll find a converter that will help you translate kilowatts to horsepower.

3. Do Electric Cars Use a Transmission?

Electric cars have a transmission, but they don’t have multiple speeds. Instead, the electric motor produces power continuously, meaning there’s no need for gear ratios. Electric cars generally have single-speed transmissions for this reason.

4. Do Electric Cars Have an Alternator?

EVs and hybrids have a DC-to-DC converter, which means there’s no alternator. The 12-volt battery is charged from the battery pack.

5. Do Electric Cars Have a Catalytic Converter?

Since catalytic converters remove certain byproducts of internal combustion engines, there’s no need for a catalytic converter in an electric car.

6. Do Electric Cars Have an Exhaust System? 

There are no exhaust pipes in electric cars and EVs don’t produce any exhaust gases. As a result, EVs don’t feature an exhaust system.

7. Do Electric Cars Have Heaters and Air Conditioning? 

Your EV will have heat and air conditioning. Electric cars rely on electricity stored in the batteries to run the heat and AC. With that in mind, using the climate system in an electric vehicle reduces your range, so be cautious.

8. Do Electric Cars Require Less Maintenance Than Gas Cars? 

Gas-powered cars will travel further on a single fill-up and replacing their parts is easier. However, electric vehicles can last longer on the streets of Havana with fewer repairs. Having fewer moving parts in an electric car means fewer opportunities for something to break.

Electric Car Service at Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet: The Convenient Choice

Now you know that an electric car doesn’t need oil and that an electric car has horsepower just like any other. You don’t have to stress about fixing your electric vehicle when you have Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet. Our experts are here to simplify everything so you can return to your busy life where you belong. Our service coupons are constantly updating; we encourage you to check frequently to see if you can save a buck on routine maintenance. You can also contact our service professionals with any questions you may have.