Do Electric Cars Need Oil?

Are you thinking of transitioning into electric driving in Dayton? If you’ve never owned an electric car before, you probably have some questions before making the switch. Luckily, you have Dave Arbogast Buick GMC to provide service tips and other insights! One of the most common questions we hear is, “Do electric cars use oil?” Since electric cars don’t have an internal combustion engine, the answer is no. There’s no such thing as an electric car oil change, which is just one of the many benefits of electric cars! 

However, while you will never need to schedule an electric car oil change, there are other fluids that EVs require, like transmission fluid, coolant, and brake fluid. Read on to learn more about electric vehicle fluid services! 

What Types of Fluids Do EVs Use? 

It’s good news that you don’t have to worry about electric car oil changes. However, you mustn’t forget about the other fluids found in electric vehicles that still require maintenance to keep you moving in Springfield and Sidney:

• Brake Fluid: Just like your gas-powered car, an electric vehicle needs brake fluid to keep the brake system lubricated and working properly. 
• Transmission fluid: Most electric vehicles have a single-speed transmission, but it still needs transmission fluid to operate smoothly. 
• Coolant: Coolant is another fluid found in both gas and electric-powered vehicles. In an EV, the coolant keeps the battery and other critical systems from overheating.

Another consumable requiring maintenance on electric vehicles is the tires! You will still need regular tire rotations and alignments, and it’s still important to manage your tires’ air pressure. At some point, your EV tires will also need to be replaced. You can find everything you need at our parts department!

Learn More About EV Components 

Do electric cars need oil? As we’ve discussed, no, electric cars don’t use oil but they do use other fluids. With that established, you may still have other questions about electric car components. Let’s take a moment to learn more about some of the critical parts pertaining to an EV’s power plant:

• Charging ports: The charging ports are the external chargers used to replenish your EV’s battery.
• Traction motors: These motors put your wheels in motion.
• Onboard charger: The onboard charger converts the external charge provided by the charging port into direct current power.
• DC-DC converter: This is the element that converts the high-voltage DC power coming from the battery into low-voltage DC that propels an EV forward.
• Battery: The battery provides power to the electric motors as you travel around Troy.
• Thermal system: The thermal system regulates the temperature of the motors and electrical components, helping to prevent overheating.

Learn More About EV Service Requirements at Dave Arbogast Buick GMC!

We’ve put the question of “Do electric cars use oil?” to rest, but we wouldn’t be surprised if you have other EV service questions in the future! Our team is happy to help you get acquainted with the unique needs of electric vehicles before bringing one home to Springfield. Call us at (888) 871-4148 or fill out a service contact form to start a conversation anytime!