Study Reveals: Electric Car Maintenance Costs Less Than Combustion, But There's a Catch

Study Reveals: Electric Car Maintenance Costs Less Than Combustion, But There’s a Catch

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 04/08/2025 at 20:00

Updated on 04/08/2025 at 20:16

Foto: Reprodução

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Survey Shows That Electric Car Maintenance Is Cheaper Than Combustion Models, But Still Presents Challenges for Owners.

A new study reveals that electric car maintenance can be cheaper than that of combustion vehicles, bringing savings in the long run.

Since electric cars became popular, various comparisons have been made with combustion vehicles. Performance, range, and charging time are always on the agenda.

The most important thing now is that the time and cost of visits to the workshop are also being evaluated.

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Costs Lower Than Expected

The study highlights that many electric car buyers believe that maintenance costs would be higher. However, practice has shown the opposite.

Among owners of non-Tesla models, 53% claim they spend less to maintain their car than they would with a combustion vehicle.

Among Tesla owners, 41% share the same opinion.

Additionally, only 13% of respondents reported having paid for service during the first year of use. In 16% of the workshop visits, the reason was a recall.

This means that, for the majority, the initial maintenance did not bring significant direct costs.

More Visits to the Workshop in the First Year

The numbers also reveal that 85% of the electric vehicles of the drivers surveyed needed maintenance in the first year. This includes everything from simple adjustments to more complex repairs.

Although costs are lower, the frequency of visits is noteworthy.

Therefore, those who choose an electric car need to be prepared to visit the workshop more often, even if it doesn’t weigh heavily on the wallet.

Wait Time Increased

The most frequently cited downside is the time taken to complete repairs. In 2023, 40% of respondents reported picking up their car the same day.

In 2024, that number dropped to 28%. Meanwhile, those who received their car the next day increased from 21% to 29%.

There was also an increase in the percentage of those who waited up to three days, which rose from 9% to 14%. The timeframes of four days (4%), five days (2%), and more than five days (2%) remained stable.

Overall, non-Tesla electric car owners reported waiting 34% longer to get their car back compared to combustion models. Among Teslas, the difference was smaller, at 23%.

Challenge for Dealerships

David Thomas, content marketing director and automotive industry analyst at CDK, explained that dealerships are already prepared to service electric vehicles.

However, he noted that the increase in wait time and the need for multiple visits are concerning.

According to Thomas, this trend is not positive, especially as there are increasingly more non-Tesla electric cars on the road. The challenge now is to ensure that service keeps pace with the growth of this fleet.

Study Reveals: Electric Car Maintenance Costs Less Than Combustion, But There’s a Catch

Survey Shows That Electric Car Maintenance Is Cheaper Than Combustion Models, But Still Presents Challenges for Owners.

Costs Lower Than Expected

More Visits to the Workshop in the First Year

Wait Time Increased

Challenge for Dealerships

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Costs Lower Than Expected

More Visits to the Workshop in the First Year

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