Long-term maintenance costs show benefit of electric vehicles over ICEs

Nice benefit.

 

Not surprised about results.
More surprised about Volt referred as an EV...

 

Honest mistake, bias or plain ignorance from the author. It is amazing that he was allowed to write for that site.

 

Unfortunately, also there are some sectors that keep defying these studies.
Europia, as a petroleum industry association, states that even at 250usd/bbl BEV cars are more expensive to own and run. BS, spreaded to a 700 thousand workers association!!
Fuelling Europe's Future - Home

 

Unfortunately, some EVs don't have cheap maintenance costs such as the Tesla Model S (Tesla Service | Tesla Motors). Before that page went up was this: Tesla Model S requires $600 annual service plan to keep warranty active. The latter leads to Transforming Automotive Service | Blog | Tesla Motors w/some answers/clarifications from gblankenship.

(from gblankenship):

Frankly, when I originally saw the story on ABG, I was pretty shocked.

 

this is one of those things i referred to when Tesla decided that they will own all of their dealers.... this is why.

 

Which is supposedly illegal in the US due to franchise laws. Tesla disagrees and claims they aren't dealers since they supposedly don't "sell" the cars there. Supposedly, people who want to buy are directed to order on Tesla's web site...

 

The franchise laws vary state to state.

Considering the class of car, and what ICE companies in that class charge for service, to price isn't too bad for the S service plan. Tesla requires it mostly to keep an eye on how the batteries are doing real world I believe. It probably is mostly to cover the travel costs of the technicians.

Requiring it for warranty coverage is hokey. Be interesting to see how that would play out in court.

 

Does the Testla Rav4ev (I mean Toyota) require the same $600/yr to maintain warranty?

 

Don't know but it seems the 1st 2 years/25K miles are included w/purchase per RAV4 EV Complimentary Maintenance Plan with Toyota Care.

 

Tesla knows what they are saying is illegal and I am thinking of taking them up on their bluff. But likely I won't have a warranty claim but somebody will take them up on their bluff and they will settle before the publicity of a court challenge to their policy.

Either way, If I buy a Tesla, I won't be paying $600 a year for maintenance.

 

$600/yr is even more than paying for ICE car services on new cars.

 

Long term maintenance costs for the Prius are exceptionally low, and laughingly low if simple DIY is part of the bargain.

My experience.

 

Compared to what, a Ferrari? Since you can change oil for 10x less in an Lexus GS. This does not cover wear items that are the same as on any other car.

 

Well, some ICE companies include "free" maintenance for the warranty period of the car (
BMW Ultimate Service® - BMW North America

The BMW Maintenance Program - BMW North America
). I put it in quotes because you're paying for it, in the price of the car. Other luxury-brand automakers have flip-flopped back and forth re: how many "free" maintenance is included, if any.

Are Free Vehicle Maintenance Programs Worth It? - Edmunds.com has a table but it looks like the table was last updated a year ago.

 

Yeah, the free ones are in the price of the car. They are more marketing ploy to counter poor reliability reputations.

For the Mercedes E class the service plan is a little over $300 a year for two yrs. The CL is $350, the per year price appears to goes up with longer plans. The 4yr is $400 for that CL, but the 5yr is $360. The plans also have a mileage limit of 10,000 a year, so a 5yr plan might only last 4.

As I said, I think the plan price is mostly to cover technician travel expenses for the annual check up. I'd skip it, but I also couldn't afford it or a Mercedes E class. Skipping the plans won't change that.

 

Separating the service costs from the purchase price in the case of Telsa might have something to do with the remittance of sales taxes to the appropriate jurisdiction. Tesla is attempting to re-engineer some aspects of the automobile industry beyond just introducing an EV.