Electric Car Maintenance: Do Electric Cars Use Oil?

Electric vehicles (EVs) have made shock waves in the automotive industry with their high performance and fuel economy. Once our San Marcos customers upgrade to an EV, pumping gas is no longer an issue, but questions that frequently arises is, “do electric cars use oil?” or “do I need an electric car oil change?” Also, learn more about the difference between hybrid and electric cars!

Technically speaking, EVs don’t use motor oil, but there are various fluids and lubricants to help the vehicle run at their top capability. Find out more about if you need an electric car oil change and do electric cars need oil with the specialists at First Texas Honda. Also, if your electric vehicle needs maintenance, schedule a service appointment with our service center today!

What Fluids Do Electric Cars Have?

Although EVs don’t use engine oil, we still get questions like, “do electric cars use oil?” or “do electric cars need oil?” There are various oils and fluids that EVs need to drive well on Round Rock roads. Check out what fluids and oils EVs use below:

• Brake Fluid: Like any type of car, EVs feature brakes, meaning that you’ll need to ensure your brake system is properly lubricated in order to remain safe while driving. 
• Transmission fluid: This fluid ensures that your gears move efficiently and are well preserved. Since your EV features a transmission, you’ll need to stay on top of transmission fluid changes. Consult your owner’s manual for specific intervals.
• Coolant: The coolant in your radiator keeps your battery and vehicle systems from overheating. 

Important Parts of Electric Vehicles

Now that you know you don’t need an electric car oil change, there are important parts of an electric vehicle’s composition that you should be aware of. 

As you may know, these vehicles run solely on an electric battery instead of a gasoline-powered engine. This is the primary component that our Cedar Park customers know about, but there’s so much more that you should know about. Check them out below:

• Charging ports: These are the external chargers you use to charge the battery of your vehicle. 
• Traction motors: These motors turn your vehicle’s wheels.
• Onboard charger: The charger converts the external charge you receive from a charging port into DC power.
• DC-DC converter: This converts the high-voltage direct current (DC) power that comes from the battery into the low-voltage DC power that moves the vehicle.
• Battery: Your battery stores the electricity that powers the motors as you drive.
• Thermal system: This system keeps your motors and electronic components from overheating.

Test Drive Our EVs at First Texas Honda 

Know that you know more about the composition of an electric vehicle, visit us at our Austin dealership for a test drive. Contact us for more information!