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EV Maintenance Guide — What's Different from Petrol Cars

By PakEV Hub Team5 min read

EV Maintenance — What's Different from Petrol

EVs have ~20 moving parts vs ~2,000 in a petrol car. Maintenance is dramatically simpler and cheaper, but not zero.

What You DON'T Need

  • Engine oil, oil filters, spark plugs
  • Timing belts, fuel filters, exhaust work
  • Clutch (most EVs have single-speed transmissions)
  • Most brake pad replacements (regen does the work)

What You DO Need

ItemIntervalApprox Cost (PKR)
Tyre rotation10,000 km1,500
Cabin air filter15,000 km3,500
Brake fluid flush40,000 km5,000
Coolant (battery + motor)60,000 km12,000
Reduction gearbox oil100,000 km8,000
Tyres (set of 4)40–60,000 km60,000–1,20,000

Total 5-year maintenance: PKR 80,000–1,20,000 vs PKR 3–4 lakh for a comparable petrol car.

Things to Watch

  1. Tyres wear faster — EVs are heavier and have instant torque. Buy EV-rated tyres (lower rolling resistance).
  2. 12V battery dies just like in petrol cars — replace every 3–4 years.
  3. High-voltage cables — only certified EV technicians should touch anything orange.
  4. Software updates — accept all OTA updates. They often improve range and charging speed.

Battery Health

Modern EVs come with 8-year / 1,60,000 km battery warranties. Most degrade gracefully — expect ~90% capacity at year 5, ~80% at year 8.

Where to Service

Stick to authorized dealers for the first 5 years to keep the warranty. After that, certified independent EV workshops in Lahore and Karachi can save you 30–40% on routine work.