Electric vehicle servicing costs show ‘significant’ gap to ICE cars

Electric vehicles (EVs), on average, cost £103 to service, significantly cheaper than petrol or diesel models, new data from BookMyGarage.com suggests.

Looking at average values based on bookings made through the BookMyGarage.com website between January and December last year, diesel cars were the most expensive to service, costing £163 on average, with hybrid vehicles ranking second (£159), followed by petrol cars (£151).

Furthermore, overall average maintenance bills (including MOT tests, servicing and repairs) cost up to 43% less for EVs compared to other fuel types, it said.

Jessica Potts, head of marketing at BookMyGarage.com, explained: “The nature of EV powertrains not requiring engine oil changes, fuel filters, air filters or spark plugs means that servicing an electric vehicle requires less labour and fewer replacement parts and fluids, helping to lower costs for motorists.

“That said, servicing is still essential for EVs from a safety perspective, so the throughput of vehicles in workshops and the business opportunity for garages should remain similar to ICE vehicles – much of the cost saving is from fewer replacement parts rather than a reduction in labour.”

She continued: “As ICE vehicle drivers begin to move over to EVs in the coming years, and the infrastructure of the UK for electric vehicles on the road continues to improve, opportunities for EV-qualified garages will grow rapidly.

“Garages that are not qualified to service EVs will miss out on vital business and be faced with a shrinking market.”