EV MAINTENANCE TIPS
Well, everything present in this nature needs to be maintained just like human body & similarly mechanical bodies too. So, from living to the non-living things, everything asks for a good maintenance for the longer run. Now when we talk about the machines, it needs to be greased well at regular intervals, the parts need to be checked on a regular basis, if damaged, need to be either repaired or replaced. One should also keep in mind that product should be branded and of superior quality. After-all, it’s a matter of our safety.
Here, we are primarily talking about EVs which although do not have more moving parts yet every single part is to be taken proper care of. In Internal Combustion Engines (ICE), we have number of moving parts and every part needs proper replacement after a passage of time to increase the durability of the machine. Whereas in EVs, because of the presence of only a few moving parts like motor, batter, tyres, suspension system etc., the maintenance is more and replacement is less.
We’ll now discuss in brief about the main parts of EVs and its maintenance.
BATTERY: The costliest part of an Electric Vehicle is battery (Almost 40% of total vehicle cost). As per OEMs, it generally has 1200 to 1500 cycles. One must keep in mind that the battery of the product should neither be fully charged nor be fully discharged. Although battery manufacturers now a days are coming up with more advanced BMS, yet the charging and discharging of the battery must be a focused point of concern. Also, it must get charged by that one charger provide by the OEM, to maintain the durability of the product’s battery. The OEMs are constantly working in providing more of benefits to the consumer. Now, we have IP 67 Batteries which are wash proof, and so are safe while in rains too. One of the most important maintenance tips is that the user must not be impatient while charging the battery. After a travel, one must wait for the battery to cool down before it gets plug in for charging.
MOTOR: It is to be noticed that what quality & what warranty of motor the OEM is providing. Low quality motor should not be preferred as it leads to early failure. Keeping in mind the weather conditions, the product shouldn’t to be kept under sun or in heavy rains for longer time period, though machines are weather sensitive. It may also lead to some kind of failure so try to park your vehicle in shade as much as possible. One of the most important points of concern is that driver must not continue tapping the brakes as keeping the foot on the brakes continuously may lead to more current inflow. It then heats up the motor which in turn lead to its failure.
TYRES: Although tyres aren’t the negligible component yet people almost ignore it. One must keep the pressure in the tyres as recommended by the OEM while keep checking it twice a week. One should always opt branded tyres. Do not ever choose non-branded or cheap imported product after all it is the matter of your life. Do practice a habit of replacing the tyres after 5 years irrespective of the distance it has travelled (recommended by the OEMs). Wheel balancing has to be to done in every 6 months. Wash your tyres regularly and keep a close watch on it wear & tear. Kindly check the sidewalls of the product because it carries the load and again any crack in it may lead to safety issue.
BRAKES: Brakes save us, also it may lead to accident as well depending upon the pressure you hold it with. So, if the breaks breech, it needs an immediate action. You need to make sure that the brake fuel is up to the mark as required. Keep checking the brake fuel at least once in a month. Also, be regular and promptly clear on checking the brake pads/shoes. As our body needs a regular check-up at regular intervals so does the machine. So, a mechanic visit has to be there once in a month at least. Always go for the branded brake fluid & braking system. As advised, there should be no continuous tapping on brakes, which is very casual with almost every driver. The brakes get worn out fast and thus are ineffective soon.
CHARGERS: All the chargers are different in shapes & sizes and are unique with their specifications. One must check the manual provided by the OEMs for their specific charger. Overcharging a product, lead to the damage of both the charger and the product. So, one must be very careful for this point of concern as it reduces the life of the components. Also, as noticed, most of us do not actually take out the plug from the socket when not in use. Kindly ensure that the charger taken out from the plug while at rest. Good part about chargers is that they are getting repaired now a days. So, with any damage, just call and visit your respective dealer and get your charger repaired instead of purchasing a new one. Also, the warranty of the product should be carefully studied and noticed as mentioned by the OEMs. More the warranty, more will be the in-use durability.
LIGHTS: Absolutely nothing can be ignored. Every small part has its own significance that is why it’s added as one of the components of the product. Talking about the lights, the two main lights in a bike are headlight & tail light. The first thing to do while checking the headlight is to inspect the lens whether they are crystal clear or it’s being foggy or yellowish. You are requested to reach out to the mechanic then and get it either repaired or changed. Also, make sure that the lower beam emits adequate amount of light in order to enhance the range of your visibility. Basically, potholes are being the major reason behind the misalignment of lights. It is recommended to have a proper check at regular intervals by the mechanic.
SUSPENSION SYSTEM: Again, Suspension system is one of the most important parts without which the bikes earlier were called as BONE SHAKERS. The reason behind was that there was no suspension because of which the jerks from the road bumps and digs were like hell. Today’s sophisticated suspensions in bikes are joy to use. The primarily job of suspension is to ensure that your tyres are in the firm and secured contact with the ground. This is important because if your tyres aren’t touching the ground, then you suddenly loose an ability to accelerate, brake or turn your bike while the tyres are in air. Normally, we call shockers to suspension system. This makes your ride comfortable without jerks while jumping into bumps n digs. The suspension has two major components – A spring & A damper. The spring takes care of the mass of the bike whereas damper controls the speed of the spring.
CONCLUSION: So, from the above mention maintenance tips, we come to the conclusion that whether its your body or its your machine, you must keep a close check on it just to ensure your safety and thus the durability.
