Should I get a maintenance package with my Electric Vehicle

Electric Vehicle maintenance package - do I need one?

The quandaries and conundrums of electric vehicle isn’t stopping anytime soon. On the 22nd  of April the BBC reported the Tesla pricing move across the globe, with the brand seemingly reacting to Chinese competition and a slowdown in demand for pure electric.

While we covered this in our recent blog on EVs for company car drivers and the new Tesla Model 3  the media have been quick to report on more Tesla centric stories with the BBC reporting on the profit reduction for Q1 of 2024. As per the article, Tesla reported around £910m which is less than half of the amount in the same period last year.

Amidst recent job cuts, EV demand questions and Chinese competition, the media are propagating an anti-Tesla and Elon Musk approach. With Musk at the helm of Twitter (X) too, his notoriety does cause a stir with many media outfits. But is this really a problem?

Or are Tesla simply facing greater competition as other brands and manufacturers bring their product to the EV market too? In the UK, between 2020-2023 the Model 3 and Y were simply the best products available. In some cases, they were the only solution! But as innovation and economies of scale increase, so does customer choice and brand affiliation. Can we not take Tesla’s solution as a positive that a more competitive market is now in place? Surely brand dilution and non-monopolistic behaviour is a central aim.

And whether or not you elect to go Tesla, the quandary about servicing and maintenance does need addressing. The foremost product we offer here at e-car lease is contract hire (also referred to as leasing). To be clear, the prices we offer on our website are known as driver-maintained solutions.

This means that our presumption is that you, the individual or business, will be responsible for the maintenance aspects. While all the vehicles we offer are either new or nearly new, the presence of a warranty only covers certain elements of the vehicle.

In particular, the warranty is a protective mechanism which a customer can utilise if the vehicle incurs issues through no fault of the driver. The warranty enables the driver to speak to a franchised dealer to resolve this problem. However, the warranty is only valid insofar as the vehicle’s maintenance record.

You must ensure that services have been carried out in accordance with manufacturer recommendations and that any interim solutions have been carried out e.g. coolant top ups. Just because this is an EV does not mean that it doesn’t need servicing. To be clear, they do!

If you do elect to self-maintain (driver-maintenance) you will have to personally organise the services with a main dealer. In some cases, the finance company will allow you to service the vehicle at a non-franchised dealer so long as genuine parts are used.

However, with the specialism that EVs bring, there are perhaps not as many third party agents who will assist on the functional servicing. We do suggest that customers going down the driver-maintenance routes do get their first service at their local dealership, on the basis that there is a history and record with them in the event of any issues.

And for any tyres, whether you have a puncture or wear/tear, you must organise replacements in a premium brand. EV tyres, because of vehicle weight, can be more expensive, so do accommodate for this within your budgets. This is especially relevant for personal contract hire customers, where affordability and suitability are so key.

In contrast, if you do take up a funder-maintained agreement, many of our finance companies will provide you with a substantial offering. For a fixed monthly payment, you will have all servicing, maintenance and tyres included for the term. Some even include breakdown recovery and tyre repair or replacement for punctures.

With many manufacturers only offering breakdown assistance for the first 12 months, the addition of breakdown assistance is a sage component, especially if you have a fleet of vehicles in your company car programme. For tyres, you only need one or two punctures and the maintenance costs soon pay for themselves.

Driving on UK roads is an unknown quantity and having the support of the finance company to change your tyres with a national provider or via a mobile tyre fitting service is always welcome. Do consider that a warranty will only be in place for 3 years with most manufacturers.

If you take a pre-registered vehicle, or a four year contract you do have to consider your appetite to risk when outside of the warranty. For complete piece of mind, add the funder-maintenance at quotation and order stage with us. For businesses, the amount you spend on the maintenance element is totally recoverable, the VAT on this aspect can be recovered too. From a Whole of Life cost perspective this often makes sense.

Need to know more about maintenance for your new electric vehicle? Simply call our expert term at e-car lease on 01942 910 001 or email at [email protected].

In terms of the car shown, the Volkswagen ID.BUZZ 150kW Style Pro 77kWh 5dr Auto Pure Electric Vehicle, this is based on the following configuration:

• Candy White Solid Paint
•  Styling seat pack with Black steering wheel - Miwo – Mistral/X-Blue with X-Blue/Silver Birch dashboard
•  20" Solna black diamond turned surface alloy wheels
•  Charging cable mode 3, type 2 32 A

But how does the ID Buzz perform?

This RWD minivan will have a 77 kWh usable battery which will offer 0 – 62 times of 10.2 seconds, 90 mph top speeds and 150 kW (or 201hp). Expect a combined winter range of 180 miles with warmer weather allowing for 240 miles.

On charging, the 11 kW AC max will allow 8 hour and 15 minute 0 – 100% charging times with the 175 kW DC maximum allowing 30 minute 10 – 80% times. A cargo volume of 1121L is available with this car. It has a vehicle fuel equivalent of 110 mpg. The ID Buzz can tow 750kg (Unbraked) or 1000kg (Braked). In terms of vehicle dimensions, the vehicle is 4712mm in Length, 1927mm in Height and 2211mm in width (including mirrors).