Manufacturers are getting really close to having a "million mile battery" so that should alleviate any fears about the expense of a battery. Toyota is said to be close to having a solid state battery which apparently can be fully charged in 30 minutes. As for maintenance most new EV's have batteries that are liquid cooled. I think it's something like 100000 miles for that to be changed.
You'll never have to deal with a check engine light (no emission controls to monitor), muffler replacements, oil changes, transmission fluid changes, air filters replacements, plugged heater cores (many new EV's have heat pumps now instead of power robbing electric heaters), no fuel filters to replace or fuel lines, gas tanks, dirty gas etc. You would have to do brake servicing at least once a year as the brakes aren't used near as often as a regular car so the moving parts would be prone to seizing. When I worked at Toyota we saw that a lot on Prius and Camry Hybrids. Here's a maintenance list for a typical EV. It's almost like they had to find things to maintain to make a decent sized list:

Monthly (performed by owner):

Check the tire pressure and adjust as necessary. Examine the tires for excess wear. Check the windshield washer fluid and fill as necessary.

Every 7,500 miles:

Have the tires rotated. Check the coolant level for the battery, cabin heater, and the power inverter, accessory power, and charger modules. Visually check for fluid leaks. Inspect the brakes. Visually inspect the steering, suspension, and chassis components for damage. Inspect the power steering, halfshafts and drive shafts for excessive wear, leaks, or damage. Check the restraint (airbags) system. Lubricate body components (door locks). Check the accelerator pedal for damage, high effort, or binding and replace if necessary. Visually inspect the gas struts (suspension) for signs of wear, cracks, or other damage. Check the tire sealant expiration date, if equipped (this is used to temporarily seal and inflate a damaged tire).

Twice a year:

Flush corrosive materials (i.e. road salt) from the underbody using plain water.

Every 15,000 miles:

Replace the windshield wiper blades.

Every 36,000 miles:

Replace the cabin air filter (more frequently if necessary).

Every 75,000 miles:

Replace the hood and/or body lift support gas struts.

Every five years:

Drain and fill the vehicle coolant circuits. Replace the brake fluid.

Every seven years:

Have the air conditioning desiccant changed. (it absorbs and holds moisture in a mobile air conditioning system to help prevent corrosion).

For its part, Nissan gives two separate maintenance schedules for the Leaf. Schedule 1 is for more severe operating conditions that include frequent short trips of less than five miles in normal temperatures or 10 miles in freezing weather, stop-and-go driving in hot weather, low-speed driving for long distances, driving in dusty conditions or on rough, muddy or salt spread roads, or using a car-top carrier.

Schedule 2 requires less-frequent maintenance, but applies only to highway driving in temperate conditions. The bottom line here is that most Leaf owners will require Schedule 1 service.

Great rundown, Todd.  You are definitely up to date on your electric vehicles!

When you consider all of the systems that surround the internal combustion engine, it actually boggles the mind a little to think how many items the owner won't have to worry about.

It looks like most of those maintenance items on the list are designed to get the customer into the dealership, so dealership revenues don't fall so drastically (which they will).  Most of those items can be performed by the owner with minimal effort.  The accelerator pedal inspection seems a little hokey - when is the last time anybody complained about an accelerator pedal failure?

When these things become mainstream it will really turn the industry upside down, as it is my understanding that dealerships make the majority of revenues from their service departments, as profit margins on the actual vehicles are relatively low, and are only a one-time income when the vehicle is first purchased.  It will also put a damper on some of the private repair shops, though things like tires will still be needed as much as any IC vehicle.

Canadian Poncho wrote:

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I also read the average yearly consumption of electricity per year for an EV in Canada is $277.19. Some of us spend that much on fuel in two weeks!

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 I'm not convinced I would be interested in buying a EV in the near future just because of the fuel savings.

There are other costs that will eliminate those savings very quickly.

-The cost of leasing or buying a EV is much higher than a comparable ICEV.

-Cost of insurance is said to be 20% higher.

Technology is changing in EV's  quickly,so who wants to buy an old EV?

-So the resale value takes a really big hit when you want to get rid of the old EV.

-Setting up a EV plug-in at home will have a one time cost.

For me there are negatives involved in owning a EV

Long trips in a short period of time are out of the question with present technology.

If there is a power failure,you're stuck without transportation.

And two unknowns that I'm sure will happen.....

-The power companies will charge more because of the

extra surge in power that EV's will inflict on the grid.

-and the most important thing that will happen and nothing is being talked about this

is, if gasoline is eliminated where are the billions and billions of dollars that the federal,

provincial and municipal governments gets from gasoline sales going to come from....

My guess is that taxing EV's is going to be the answer.

 

What has peaked my interest in future vehicles is hydrogen power.

Five minutes to fill up and a five hundred mile range.

This may be more of what Canadians would like to see in a vehicle.

More reading required.

-G

https://www.toyota.ca/toyota/en/safety-innovation/hydrogen-fuel-cell-mirai

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Im still expecting a breakthrough in battery tech to half the weight, double the range, and a 5-15 minute recharge, in the next 5 years. Range could go to say 1000-1500 kms. Game changer.

George is certainly right on taxes, someone will have to pay. Hydrogen is a great option but has not taken off like it should for some reason. Electricity is also much simpler.

My reason for optimism on the new battery is the amount of R &D happening in this area now.

Lets say I am close to right, it will still take a generation to replace internal combustion, or more. As George also points out, cost to buy this new tech is high. But, all vehicles are going way up in price, closing the gap to buy electric or hydrogen. I keep harping on the cost of big SUVs and 4 door pickups, $70-100,000 is getting to be almost common. You can buy a Rivian, for $80US you get awd, 11,000 towing, 400 mile range. 1 electric motor on each wheel.

I think 90% with us could live with a 3-400 mile range. There are plenty of public charging stations coming online (we have two within 20 minutes of my place) plus the fact a fast charger wouldn't be hard to install at your home. Even without a fast charger an EV will charge overnight on a 110v plug. What I'd really like to have as a daily driver is a Chevy Volt. This is the EV with the small 1.5 liter motor that works as a range extender. It's not connected to the wheels but basically runs a generator to provide voltage to the motors in the event the batteries run out. I think you get something like 53 miles on pure EV with one of these. That'd get us to the closest down and back on pure electricity with power to spare. 

Another interesting thing is the fact that older EV's and hybrids with dead batteries can take advantage of new battery technology when replacement is required. I did a deep dive into the old Honda Insights as there were three for sale in the area ranging from $1000-2500. All needed new batteries.I found replacement batteries online for as low as $1500. For about $300 more I could buy a battery with more range and power. Some folks have had good luck bringing "dead" EV batteries back to life using "Battery Reconditioning Systems" such as these offered by hybridautomotive.com

https://hybridautomotive.com/

 

All these ad videos of hot places with vehicles or people, or shows like Survivor that take place in the tropics. To really survive, try Thompson, Manitoba in February. Make a Rivian perform in the cold and go 400 miles, that would mean something. Bring them here running around on salt covered roads, a little dust is nothing. That pickup also needs a new grill, maybe a wrap with the headlights and grill of a 63 Parisienne. It looks like a blank stare now.

DonSSDD wrote:

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All these ad videos of hot places with vehicles or people, or shows like Survivor that take place in the tropics. To really survive, try Thompson, Manitoba in February. Make a Rivian perform in the cold and go 400 miles, that would mean something. Bring them here running around on salt covered roads, a little dust is nothing. That pickup also needs a new grill, maybe a wrap with the headlights and grill of a 63 Parisienne. It looks like a blank stare now.

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 ...and to add to Don's comment.

Let's put some weight in the back of this truck ( isn't the function of a truck is to haul material? )

Let's see what it can do pulling a trailer going through some soggy back roads in Northern  Ontario

 

https://jalopnik.com/these-are-the-cars-rivian-is-benchmarking-its-electric-1834061656

Quote from article:

"Rivians exhaustive durability programme is underway right now, testing how the EVs perform in the wintry chill of Minnesota as well as the bake of Arizona. Vinnels draws a diagram positioning Rivian products somewhere between the gung-ho toughness of a Subaru, the eco credibility of a Tesla and the family practicality and off-roading skills of a Discovery."