If you’re looking to upgrade your daily St. Louis commute with a new electric vehicle, Suntrup Automotive Group has got you covered! We’re proud to offer a wide variety of new and pre-owned fully electric vehicles, including the Hyundai Kona Electric, the BMW iX, and the Nissan LEAF. Whether you’ve just bought an EV or are thinking about buying one, you might wonder about how they differ from their gasoline-powered counterparts under the hood.
If you find yourself asking questions like “Do electric cars have a transmission?” or “Do electric cars need oil?”, then check out the guide below from the service team at Suntrup Automotive Group!
No. The purpose of motor oil is to lubricate an internal combustion engine to make sure it works smoothly and efficiently without overheating. Since electric cars lack engines, there’s no need for oil. However, if you drive a hybrid or plug-in hybrid, you’ll still need to come in for regular oil changes.
Yes. Just like gas-powered cars, electric cars usually measure their output in horsepower. However, some EVs measure their power in “KW” instead, which largely means the same thing. If you find an EV that lists KW instead of horsepower, just run a quick Google search to convert.
Yes, although it doesn’t work exactly the same as a gasoline-powered car’s transmission. Internal combustion engines need transmissions with multiple gears while electric motors produce the same amount of torque regardless of RPM within a specific range. EVs also produce torque instantaneously, so you’ll never need to rev the motor or change gears!
No. Hybrids and EVs use DC-to-DC converters that recharge the 12-volt battery using power from the battery pack.
No. Catalytic converters are designed to remove harmful byproducts of internal combustion engines, so there’s no need for them in electric vehicles.
No. EVs don’t produce exhaust because they don’t burn any fuel, so they don’t need an exhaust system.
Yes. Heating and air conditioning are both powered by gasoline in traditional vehicles, but EVs use electricity stored in the batteries to run these systems. Both systems are designed so that they can draw power from the batteries without affecting your electric range!
In general, yes. Electric cars have been found to last longer with fewer repairs since they don’t have as many essential components under the hood. They do require regular maintenance, however, so be sure to stick to your service schedule!
If you drive an EV in St. Charles or Fenton and have reached one of your service milestones, you can schedule an appointment at one of our service centers! We’ll take care of everything and get you back on the road in no time. You can also contact us with any questions, and a member of our team will be happy to help you out.
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