I understand they use different drive trains and that the entire system is built differently, but aren’t there still moving parts that should be lubricated and maintained?
Thanks in advance.
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The parts *do* still need lubrication, but since they are exposed to the high temperatures and frequent temperature fluctuations of combustion the lubricants don’t break down like ICE oil does. To put it in perspective, an EV motor can get up to around 140 C with normal operations, while the temperatures in the combustion chamber of an ICE can reach around 2,500 C. Granted, the ICE as a whole doesn’t get anywhere near that high (and the chamber doesn’t maintain that temperature), but exposure to those temperatures whenever a cylinder fires is what causes engine oil to breakdown over time. Well, that and the resultant residue from the engine operation and internal combustion, itself.
Yes, over time the lubrication of EV moving parts *is* going to break down, but the vehicle itself will reach an end-of-life cycle long before that.
Engine oil in a normal car is pumped around the engine to lube all the moving parts.
Electric cars don’t have an engine so they don’t need engine oil.
Transmission fluid in a normal car is used to lubricate the gears and to act as hydraulic fluid to actuate the moving parts in the transmission.
Electric cars are usually a single fixed gear ratio so they don’t have a transmission.
The one oil that electric cars DO have is usually gear oil in the drive unit. The fixed gears still need lubrication and for single-motor axles the differential needs lubrication too. Typically this oil will last the life of the vehicle because it’s not exposed to extreme heat, combustion products or friction material from a transmission, but you could technically change it if you wanted to.
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