MG Motor India has announced that the new Hector Tomahawk EV will require servicing every 15,000 km or one year, whichever comes first. This is a significant advantage over internal combustion engine cars and a sign that the company is promoting a low-maintenance EV. It also raises an interesting discussion about the servicing practices for battery-electric cars in general.
Why EVs Require Less Frequently Servicing
Electric vehicles do not require periodic maintenance like petrol or diesel cars. There is no need to change oil or oil filters, replace spark plugs, clean or replace air filters for the combustion engine, change fuel filters or even multi-speed transmissions. For an electric car like the Hector Tomahawk EV, the only maintenance would be checking the brake fluid condition, high and low voltage coolant levels, cabin air filter, condition of tyres and their pressure, software updates and check-ups.The service interval of every 15,000 km or one year is well within the limits for all these items and most global automakers already follow a similar procedure.
Put an End to “Dealer Uddhaar Yojana”Once petrol/diesel cars started to become popular in India, the service interval was reduced to 10,000 km and even less in some cases. In many ways, it was a ploy to make car owners visit the nearest dealership and increase the profits of the authorized service centers, also known as the “Dealer Uddhaar Yojana”. But with the arrival of electric cars, there should not be much of a need to follow such “unfair” practices.
One of the main reasons for shorter service intervals for petrol/diesel cars was to upsell customers on extended warranty packages and other service-related accessories. With the introduction of the Hector Tomahawk EV, MG Motor India is taking a big step forward in disclosing all service-related costs so that the owners are not forced to shell out extra money on maintenance. They also signaled that EVs require less maintenance and the companies should set realistic service intervals for battery electric cars.
Benefits for Owners and Other Automakers
Less frequent servicing ultimately brings down the cost of ownership for the car and makes it more appealing. Owners can save both time and money on periodic maintenance and inspections, while also removing the fear of unscrupulous mechanics at the service centers. It puts electric SUVs like the Hector Tomahawk EV on a much stronger position than internal combustion engine cars in terms of maintenance and also helps attract more customers towards battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
On the other hand, it also sets a good example for other automakers in India so that they can also follow suit and promote their electric cars on “lesser maintenance required” basis, rather than forcing regular “unfair” service intervals just to make extra money out of the service departments. Frequent and shorter service intervals will only turn customers away from buying battery electric cars. In this regard, MG Motor India has taken the right step by announcing a much longer service interval of 15,000 km or one year for the Hector Tomahawk EV.