Why the maintenance of an electric car is much cheaper

Let’s start with the main reasons why a regular car needs maintenance. Firstly, because it contains many rotating parts. A modern ICE is very complicated, with countless moving parts and meticulous details to keep the engine running as smoothly and efficiently as possible, and according to the strictest emission standards at the same time.

Most moving parts are subject to wear and therefore require lubrication. Due to the development of heat, many parts also need to be cooled. But coolant and engine oil must be replaced over time. This also applies to filter systems for oils and fuels. Due to wear and aging, there are also parts that may break down over time and need to be replaced as a precaution.

Much less complicated

An EV which is powered by an electric motor doesn’t have all this. The technology of an electric motor is considerably less complicated compared to an ICE. There are significantly fewer parts that rotate and wear out. An electric car doesn’t even have a gearbox. As a result, there are much less components that need to be cooled and lubricated. An electric car therefore has no liquids and certain filters that need to be replaced over time.

Regenerative braking

In addition to all above, the brakes of an EV also wear less compared to these of an ICE car, because an electric car uses regenerative braking. As soon as you take your foot off the throttle, the electric motor works directly as a generator. It uses the kinetic energy released during rollout and immediately starts charging the battery. Depending on the selected mode, this has a braking effect, causing the car to slow down faster than usual. As a result, especially in city traffic, you don’t have to use the brake pedal as often and the brake pads and discs wear less quickly.

Carefree driving at favourable costs

An electric car therefore requires less maintenance compared to a regular ICE car. But that doesn’t mean no maintenance is needed at all. Software updates are important, for example, since most of the functions are electric and software controlled. There are all sorts of other things that need to be checked during regular maintenance as well, and for which specialized personnel is required. Such as the advanced high-voltage system and the strict safety requirements that come with it.

In any case, the maintenance of an EV is much cheaper compared to that of an ICE car. This has emerged from various studies, including a large-scale one from the Netherlands, where the automotive sector organization BOVAG analyzed nearly 12 million maintenance visits for its annual ‘After Sales Monitor’. This shows that in 2021, measured over a full year, an average of € 529 per ICE car was spent on maintenance and repair costs, compared to € 340 per year for an EV.

Service and MG

The maintenance interval of a MG is set at 24,000 kilometres or once a year. You can also receive a quote in advance from an authorized MG service location, so you know exactly what to expect. Furthermore, all MG models come with a 7-year/150,000 kilometre manufacturer’s warranty as standard. The warranty is transferable to the next owner and applies to the entire vehicle including the lithium-ion battery and electric motor.

And last but not least: MG customers are entitled to free roadside assistance during the first year after the new car is registered. However, each time a MG is serviced at an authorized MG service location, roadside assistance is extended for one year, free of charge, for a maximum of seven consecutive years.