Electric Cars Need Less Maintenance — Range Extenders Cut Costs Too

Electric vehicles require the least maintenance of any car type on the market. Eng. Mohamed El-Hennawy, an automotive maintenance expert, confirmed that fully electric cars stand out with significantly lower maintenance needs compared to petrol-powered vehicles, making them the superior choice for long-term ownership costs.

Why do EVs win on maintenance?

The reason is straightforward. There is no internal combustion engine, no engine oil, no spark plugs, and no fuel filters. These components account for the bulk of routine maintenance work in petrol cars. Eliminating them slashes costs dramatically. Speaking on the "Arabety" programme broadcast on Radio Egypt and hosted by journalist Hisham El-Zeini, El-Hennawy noted that servicing a petrol engine can be more expensive than maintaining other vehicle types.

Range extenders follow a different schedule

20,000 kilometres. That is the only interval at which range-extender vehicles need a coolant change, while at 40,000 kilometres they require coolant and brake circuit servicing only. El-Hennawy explained that range extenders rely on a large battery paired with a small petrol engine, which changes the nature of required maintenance and makes some routine operations less frequent depending on vehicle design and the approved service schedule.

Hybrids and plug-in hybrids stretch intervals further

The gap is real. Maintenance for some hybrid and plug-in hybrid models can extend from 7,000–10,000 kilometres to 12,000–15,000 kilometres. That extended interval means fewer workshop visits and tangible savings in running costs over years of ownership.

Purchase price isn't the whole story

Comparison must be comprehensive. The maintenance expert stressed that buyers should not rely solely on the purchase price when comparing models — routine maintenance costs, spare parts availability, and after-sales services must all be factored in as elements that influence the true cost of ownership over the long term. The real ownership equation starts at the sticker price but doesn't end there — it extends through every service visit and every part replaced over the vehicle's lifetime.