Re:The Lithium Mine Buildup Is Outpacing the Electric-Car Boom
by WorldMaker on Monday July 29, 2019 @11:36AM
(#20555669)
Biggest long term maintenance expense in an EV is battery replacement, which best estimates right now put the industry at roughly a 15-30 year replacement rate. Depending on how you finance it, a battery replacement should be doable for <= $150/month average, and that's assuming a full replacement. (Depending on one's range needs/usage patterns some people might be able to make 20-50 years on the capacity degradation curve of a vehicle's original battery before needing a replacement, given current evidence.)
Electric motors have way fewer moving parts and fluids and currently are generally expected to outlast any car frame they are put in.
Most EVs advantage regenerative braking so break maintenance cycles are also longer to comparably sized ICE vehicles.
The other maintenance risks are the exact same between an EV and any other car, things like: HVAC, plastic degradation, rust, and accident damage.
The one unique Tesla risk on a 15-year horizon is their software updates. Their penchant for over-the-air software updates is handy in the short term, but possibly a risk in the long term lifespan of a vehicle. Though that's a risk Tesla would hopefully be incentivized to avoid (for bad PR at least), and possibly a mitigatable risk.
Electric motors have way fewer moving parts and fluids and currently are generally expected to outlast any car frame they are put in.
Most EVs advantage regenerative braking so break maintenance cycles are also longer to comparably sized ICE vehicles.
The other maintenance risks are the exact same between an EV and any other car, things like: HVAC, plastic degradation, rust, and accident damage.
The one unique Tesla risk on a 15-year horizon is their software updates. Their penchant for over-the-air software updates is handy in the short term, but possibly a risk in the long term lifespan of a vehicle. Though that's a risk Tesla would hopefully be incentivized to avoid (for bad PR at least), and possibly a mitigatable risk.