8 Electric Car Service Questions



EVs have quickly gone from being a niche technology to the point that nearly every mainstream and luxury maker has now ventured into the fuel-free zone—and Live Oak drivers understandably have lots of questions about electric car service. The team at Rountree Moore Kia is here to help! Read on for the answers to frequently asked EV questions like:

• Do electric cars need oil changes?
• Do electric cars have a transmission and gears?
• Do electric cars have horsepower?
• Do electric cars have air conditioning?
• And more!

1. Do Electric Cars Need Oil?

The purpose of motor oil is to lubricate the moving parts of a vehicle’s engine to prevent friction and overheating. Because a fully electric vehicle doesn’t have an engine, it doesn’t need oil—or oil changes! This is one of the main reasons why many EV drivers feel that electric cars are more reliable than gas-powered vehicles. Without an engine, there’s a lot less that can go wrong.

Plug-in hybrid vehicles are able to run for short distances on battery power alone, but they also have a combustion engine. Like any engine, it needs routine oil changes.

2. Do Electric Cars Have Horsepower?

Horsepower is simply a unit of measure for the power generated by a vehicle. While some automakers use it to measure the power of their EVs, others use Kilowatts (KW) to express an electric motor’s maximum output. One kilowatt equals roughly 1.34 horsepower.

3. Do Electric Cars Have a Transmission?

While electric cars do have a transmission, it’s a bit different from the transmission on a gas-powered vehicle. Rather than using a series of gears with varying gear ratios that combine engine speed (RPM) with the correct amount of power (torque). Electric motors produce a consistent amount of torque regardless of RPM, so there’s no need to rev an electric motor to generate more torque. So, do electric cars have a transmission with only one gear? That’s right—they only require a single gear ratio.

4. Do Electric Cars Have Alternators?

No, electric cars don’t have an alternator. EVs, plug-in hybrids, and traditional hybrids all use a DC-to-DC converter that recharges the 12-volt battery using power from the battery pack. 

5. Do Electric Cars Have Catalytic Converters?

A catalytic converter is another part that electric cars don’t need. Its purpose is to remove the byproducts created through internal engine combustion.

6. Do Electric Cars Have Exhaust Systems? 

This is one difference that’s noticeable from the outside of the vehicle—you’ll notice that an EV is missing the exhaust pipe! Without an engine to produce exhaust gasses, there’s no need for an exhaust system.

7. Do Electric Cars Have Heaters/Do Electric Cars Have Air Conditioning? 

Electric cars do have air conditioning, but the system is a bit different. While the AC in conventional cars is powered by the engine, an EV powers its heating and cooling systems with electricity stored in the battery.

8. Do Electric Cars Last Longer Than Gas Cars? 

A gas-powered vehicle definitely has some advantages if you live in an area where charging stations are hard to find. However, many Macclenny and Gainesville-area drivers feel that they save time thanks to less-frequent electric car service requirements. Although it’s still important to schedule electric car service at the proper intervals, the fact that EVs have far fewer moving parts means that they can last even longer!

Learn More About Electric Car Service at Rountree Moore Kia 

Rountree Moore Kia is your go-to for electric car service and a great selection of new electric vehicles in Lake City! Continue your research with our Kia Niro vs. Hyundai Kona hybrid comparison, or start searching our inventory for the perfect fit today.