In Part 1 of this mini-series, we cleared the decks — oil changes, fuel filters, spark plugs and carbon cleaning are all services a pure electric car doesn't need. Declining them keeps your wallet happy and your car no worse off.
But "you don't need to do the petrol stuff" doesn't mean "you don't need to do anything." An EV has its own genuine maintenance needs — a shorter list than a petrol car's, but one that deserves attention, especially as electric cars in Australia multiply on our roads. Here's the full checklist: what matters, why, and roughly when.
(As always: intervals vary by model and market. The schedule in your owner's manual is the authority — treat everything below as a guide.)
1. The battery and electric drive: the heart of the car
The battery, motor and power electronics are the EV's equivalent of an engine — and like an engine, they earn attention over time. The good news: modern EV maintenance here is mostly inspection, not replacement.
What to do:
Keep the charge port clean and dry — wipe it with a dry cloth after charging in dusty or wet conditions.
Check the battery's underside occasionally for scrapes, dents or damage to the protective cover.
Have the drive system checked on schedule by a technician — motor temperatures, insulation and error codes are read by a computer, not by eye.
What matters most in daily life: charging habits — the heart of good EV battery care. Avoid leaving the car at full charge for days on end, and avoid letting it sit near empty. A comfortable charging routine is the single best thing you can do for battery longevity: keep it between roughly 20% and 80% for daily use, and top up to full only before a long trip.
2. The cooling system: keeping everything at the right temperature
The battery, motor and power electronics generate heat — and they need EV-specific cooling to manage it. This isn't the same coolant as a petrol car's, and it isn't interchangeable.
What to do:
Replace the EV-specific coolant on the manufacturer's schedule (commonly every two years or so, depending on the model).
Have the coolant lines checked for leaks, wear or loose connections at each service.
What to avoid: never top up an EV's cooling system with petrol-car coolant or plain water. It's formulated for the battery's thermal needs, and the wrong fluid can corrode the cooling system and reduce its effectiveness.
3. The brakes: used less, but still needing care
Here's a nice EV surprise: thanks to regenerative braking, the brake pads and discs wear much more slowly than on a petrol car. Many EVs go years between pad changes. But the system itself still needs scheduled attention.
What to do:
Replace brake fluid on schedule (commonly every two years) — it absorbs moisture over time, and degraded fluid can affect braking response.
Have pads and discs inspected at each service — worn pads or scored discs get replaced when needed.
Ask the technician to check the brake lines and callipers for leaks, sticking or noise.
The slower wear is a genuine cost saving. The scheduled checks are the part that shouldn't be skipped.
4. Tyres and underbody: the part that the weight stresses
An EV is heavier than an equivalent petrol car — true of most electric car models, since the battery adds real mass — and that weight shows up most in the tyres and underbody. This is where EV maintenance differs most from a petrol car's routine.
What to do:
Check tyre pressure regularly — and before long trips — against the pressures printed on your door. EVs are sensitive to incorrect pressure, which affects range, wear and comfort.
Inspect tyres for cuts, bulges and tread wear; replace them when the tread gets low (the legal minimum tread depth in Australia is 1.5 mm, and replacing before it's reached is wise).
Rotate the tyres on schedule (commonly every 20,000 km or so) to even out wear — and have a wheel alignment done on the manufacturer's schedule (commonly every few years) to avoid uneven wear and pulling.
Have the underbody checked for scrapes and damage — the battery sits low, and the protective cover deserves attention after rough roads.
What to avoid: extra underbody treatments. EVs leave the factory with the protection they need; additional coatings can do more harm than good.
5. Cabin air and climate: the comfort system
Smaller jobs, but they matter for everyday comfort — and for the car's occupants.
What to do:
Replace the cabin air filter on schedule (commonly once a year) — it keeps dust and pollutants out of the cabin, and a clogged filter reduces airflow.
Have the evaporator and air ducts cleaned occasionally if you notice smells — usually every couple of years is plenty.
None of this is expensive, and all of it protects the experience of actually living with the car.
6. Putting it together: a simple rhythm
You don't need a spreadsheet. A sensible EV maintenance rhythm looks like this:
Every few weeks: check tyre pressures, keep the charge port clean.
Every service visit (annual or mileage-based): drive system inspection, coolant lines checked, brake inspection, cabin filter, underbody check.
Every two years (or as scheduled): coolant and brake fluid replacement, evaporator clean.
As needed: tyres rotated and aligned on schedule, worn tyres or brake pads replaced.
Compared with a petrol car's schedule, that's fewer visits, fewer parts and fewer costs — while still protecting everything that matters.
7. XPENG: simple, honest servicing
For XPENG owners, the checklist follows the same logic as the cars themselves. The NEW G6 electric SUV and the X9 are pure electric cars, and their servicing reflects it: scheduled battery and drive system checks, EV-specific coolant, brake care, and attention to the tyres and underbody that carry the battery's weight.
What you won't find is a service list full of engine-era items. The schedule is written for what the car actually has — which is what honest servicing should always be.
Conclusion
EV maintenance isn't "nothing" — it's a different list. Fewer services, yes, but with real attention where it matters: the battery and drive system, cooling, brakes, tyres and cabin air.
Get those right, follow the manual, and an EV will reward you with years of low-cost, low-fuss ownership — the way it was designed to be owned.
Ready to see how simple EV ownership can be? Book a test drive with XPENG — one of Australia's leading Chinese EV brands — and ask about the NEW G6 or X9 service schedule while you're there. It's refreshingly short.
Note: Service intervals and requirements vary by model and market. Always follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule in your owner's manual. Legal tyre tread minimums vary by state — replace before they're reached.
