EVs Head for Junkyard as Mechanic Shortage Inflates Repair Costs
April 16, 2024
By Paul Homewood
h/t Philip Bratby
Oh, the joys of EV driving!
Electric car sales already are in a funk in key markets around the globe. Challenges finding enough repair technicians threatens to further stifle demand in the UK, where consumer uptake has stagnated for the better part of two years.
A dearth of mechanics trained to handle the most advanced EV fixes is helping to drive up repair costs, according to insurers and repair companies like the AA, which provides roadside assistance across the UK. Add in expenses like long wait times for replacement parts, and underwriters are opting to total cars with relatively benign damage — prematurely consigning electric models to the junk heap.
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NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT 
A problem for Tesla from the beginning. They started with no dealer network. Which meant no service departments with experienced mechanics. Plus, they demand all service be in-house: You can’t go to John Boy over in town.
That’s not the only big problem. Mechanics must know management of the electrical systems to stay alive. Specific, detailed instruction is required to avoid electrocution. Fred, with 25 years experience as a Ford mechanic, cannot work on a Tesla.
And then there are the Ford dealerships, dealing with demands from Ford HQ to spend big bucks on equipment to handle EVs. Many dealerships are closing, rather than spending their on capital on Ford’s fantasy.
I used to drive BMWs and every year the dealership charged £100s for servicing, since 2019 I have driven Tesla and servicing costs to date have been £0.
Is that in accordance with warranty and insurance requirements?
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/electric-cars/running/ev-maintenance-service-and-repairs-guide/
https://www.cartalk.com/extended-warranties/tesla-maintenance-cost
To put it bluntly you are either lying or driving illegally, I incline to the former.
I would show you the receipts but there aren’t any.
Me too.
In 5 years you haven’t had the brake pads checked and replaced? Nor the hydraulic fluids? And no tyres changed? And what exactly did BMW charge you for – an oil change?
You are obviously lying or you have zero understanding of cars.
The brakes are almost never used due to regen, I wasn’t including tyres I didn’t get those from the dealership.
BMW used to charge about £150 an hour I think , may be more, for checking this that and the other, they used to wash the car, which was nice, and the coffee was good.
I am inclined to think both!
Tires (and insurance!) not included. This is the summary from the cartalk.com piece I linked above (12:56 am), using Tesla USA figures.
‘Tesla’s Model Y has a 100,000-mile maintenance cost estimate between $8,250 for base trims and $15,000 for the performance trim. This does not include repairs. By comparison, a Toyota Highlander in the Car Talk fleet had a 100,000-mile maintenance and repair cost of $14,029. A Honda Accord had a 100,000-mile maintenance and repair cost of $7,684. If there is a cost advantage to Tesla with regard to maintenance and repair, we cannot find it.’
Tyre rotation and brake cleaning, ROFL.
£0, anecdotal, but fact.
No gearbox, no clutch, no brake wear, no dpf, no micro filter, no radiator, no spark plugs, no diesel fuel filter, no exhaust, no oil filter. Do the math.
Have fun trying to sell it with no service history and an invalidated guarantee.
Brake fluid quality test Every 2 years, Brake fluid change Every 2 to 5 years, Brake cleaning and lubrication, Annually or 12,500 miles, Cabin air filter Every 2 years, AC Service Every 4 years or as needed. None of that? Does your insurer know?
If the brakes are hardly used due to regen then the brake pistons will start to seize and the discs will rust. In an emergency brake efficiency will fall.
Yawn. That is just about the only time that the brakes are used, periodically to ensure correct operation and to keep discs clean.
Do the math.
In the UK, BEV depreciation is a big issue, and any cost saving by skimping on servicing is probably dwarfed by the depreciation.
At least in the UK there is a requirement for cars over three years old to be “MOT tested” , so at least someone competent is looking at brake lines, tyres etc. once a year.
The brakes in EVs certainly aren’t used much because of regenerative braking but that doesn’t mean they don’t deteriorate – in fact more so because they are exposed to road conditions but not exercised. You may well find that when you do actually need them they don’t work
German TUV tests were finding a lot of battery cars failing on brakes – I assume lack of force on the dynamometer test due to lack of use. They also failed on tyres and steering. With regard to tyres, I would expect drivers used to a normal car would not expect tyres to be worn out come the first test.
How long before insurance companies as well as charging increased premiums for motor insurance on BEV’s, given that they are currently looking at roof solar panel LI batteries being located in roof spaces and the possible fire risk, how long before they decide that having a BEV parked in a standard construction garage, parked on a drive or parked in front of residential housing is an unacceptable fire risk that requires additional premium charges for home insurance. And given that this is a serious concern for insurers, what about non BEV residents living next to or nearby one of these potential bombs- will the insurer start adding the fatal question on your insurance application/ renewal form “do you have a Lithium Ion battery powered vehicle, bicycle, scooter on the premises, unattended whilst charging, OR does your immediate neighbour”, answer yes and your domestic premium triples.
BEV’s involved in even a minor bump can be a serious hazard as reported in the Thatcham report, the costs of correct storage whilst getting the BEV ready for inspection alone would cripple even the largest garage chain.
BEV’s have a role to play, but only as city cars, they just do not match up to ICE transport requirements.
How long before BEVs are banned from multi-storey car parks and high-rise buildings?
…and Car Ferries.
…and the Channel Tunnel.
I have fortunately, not had the need or inclination to go somewhere where a car ferry would be needed, but I’m dreading the day it happens. The chance of a fire, even if it is increasing every year as the wretched things get older, may still be quite low, but the chance of death if there is a fire is extremely high.
I will never again sleep on a car ferry.
go somewhere where a car ferry would be needed
A well designed car ferry should be able to withstand a few vehicle fires (BEV and ICE). Compartmentalisation, firefighting equipment, fire management and being made from steel being a few reasons.
BEV batteries do seem to burn viciously, some of the film clips of BEV fires show what appears to be a plasma jet. I’m not a fire engineer, but if I have to share a building with a BEV then I would prefer to have some concrete, engineering bricks or steel between me and BEV fire, rather than relying on composite materials.
I doubt a car ferry has systems in place to control a lithium battery fire and then there will be the toxic fumes filling the ferry. The crew of the last car carrier that caught fire jumped over the side. An overnight ferry would be really scary.
The crew of the last car carrier that caught fire jumped over the side.
I’ve not had any involvement with the design, construction or maintenance of ships, so I cannot state what fire protection measures should be in place on a car carrier or on a car ferry.
The report linked to below concerns the fire onboard the “Fremantle Highway” car carrier in 2023. The report mainly refers to the incompetence of the rescue operation, but there is mention of ” The fire rendered the lifesaving equipment on the ship inoperable. ” which suggests that compartmentalisation failed, although that is guesswork on my part !
https://maritime-executive.com/article/report-details-confused-and-chaotic-rescue-for-north-sea-car-carrier-fire
In my experience, most fire protection systems fitted in occupied UK buildings are compromised following installation, generally as a result of the actions or inactions of incompetent organisations and incompetent individuals, the Grenfell tower block fire being but one example.
And North Lane past the brewery whenever the tide is above 6.4m at Sheerness.
EV technology is in its early stages, and should be allowed to progress without government interference. I’m sure a Model T had a lot of similar problems with range, servicing etc. 100 or so years ago. We learned not to refuel in the house, built a network of fueling station and mechanics learned how to fix the new technology. Until then, people kept their horses. It may never be safe to refuel EVs in the house due to the amount of energy involved, and we may never be able to safely recharge an EV as quickly as we can refill a gas tank. If not, EVs will remain a niche product.
The model T was based on appropriate technology. Electric cars are not. Only if you invent a new category of “short range run arounds doing less than 20miles a day”, will Electric be an appropriate technology.
The first Model – T sold in 1909 for the modern equivalent of $21,000. By the 1920s the price had fallen to the modern equivalent of $3,300, because of continuous improvements in manufacturing prowess. The first Tesla sold in 2009 for $51,000. The cheapest now is about $40,000. So nowhere near what Ford accomplished, one hundred years earlier.
BULLSHIT!
A third of “horseless carriages” in 1900 were electric.
Charles Jeantaud was making EVs in the 1880s. BEFORE Carl Benz petrol car.
You are poorly informed, NOEngineer.
And James May pointed out that the true range of a battery car was the same now as it was in the 1890s when it was rejected as being inferior to ICE. Yes, the cars are now more comfortable and go faster – which just runs them down quicker.
Keep calm. I did not claim EVs were non-existent, just that the technology (referring more to batteries than motors) has just recently advanced and continues to do so at a rapid pace. We should not focus on the current drawbacks of lithium batteries which may be obsolete in a few years, nor should the government subsidize EV production or purchases to drive out ICE vehicles from the market or prop up currently inferior technology options. I support hybrid technology, and abhor mandates. I am completely unconcerned about CO2 emissions from my lungs or anywhere else.
As for the victory of ICE over electric and steam powered vehicles in the early 20th, Mr. Rockefeller gave ICE quite a boost by standardizing fuel and its quick and reliable availability. If we had abundant cheap (nuclear!) electricity and standardized quickly swappable batteries then EVs would make a lot more sense for a lot more people. That would require lighter and more powerful and safer batteries. It would also require EV manufacturers to work together to standardize on connectors, voltages, mounting systems, safety protections, etc. That has been done for other electrical components throughout industry for decades, so is not unreasonable to expect over the next few decades.
Troll.
And what will the Breakers say? aka Scrap dealers ?? Drain of all fluids . does that include the lecky. May be more than sparks from acetylene. But on the bright side, find some cheap Motors …. but which Plug will I need?
I’m not sure I believe this stuff. How can a delay in a repair cost £10,000? How can costs of a repair go from say £5,000 to £10,000 in terms of mechanic’s costs? I suspect we have plummeting second-hand values as a bigger problem.
Agreed, it does rather read like a list of phoney excuses and as we all know “reasons for failure are boring”
This sort of story may be part of the explanation:
“When I had my battery issue in October I called out Jaguar assist who straight away diagnosed a battery fault. In a similar vain to you I thought they would take up the issue on my behalf.
They didn’t, simply said book it in with a dealer. I tried to do that with 3 separate dealers, nobody really wanted to deal and were quoting months just to accept it in for a diagnosis check. I referred back to J Assist to complain and they weren’t interested.
Long story short my car is still not fixed, 6 months later and I’m currently driving around in a RR Evoque, as my iPace is stuck on a ramp with its battery hanging out (for potentially another 2 months).”
I have used the same motor engineer who was professionally trained by the police for over 30 years. He recently had a BMW hybrid in which was refusing to charge its main hybrid battery. Before working on it he had to buy a considerable amount of specialist equipment including personal insulation because as he eloquently put it “if you touch the wrong thing these bastards will kill you”. He now avoids them like the plague if he can.
I see Jaguar, which loudly proclaimed that it would stop making all ICE cars from mid 2024 and introduce an upmarket range of EVs in 2025, has had second thoughts and is extending production of its F-Pace petrol and diesel models.
Just to show how that the Tories in Wales can be just as stupid as Labour, today on GBN we had their idiot saying that should they take over they will dump the stupid 20mph limit. However, his reasoning was that it was not necessary for air quality as battery cars are taking over and following that, battery vans and trucks are coming along. Just shows that being a mental retard is no impediment to a career in politics.