Generally, yes. EVs typically cost less to maintain over time than a comparable gas car, mainly because they have far fewer moving parts and eliminate an entire category of routine service altogether.
What EVs skip entirely
No oil changes, no spark plugs, no transmission fluid in most EVs, no exhaust system, and no fuel filters. Our post on whether EVs need oil changes covers this in detail, along with what maintenance items remain.
What still costs money
| Item | How it compares to a gas car |
|---|---|
| Tires | Can wear faster due to instant torque and extra weight; a cost that’s sometimes higher than on a gas car. |
| Brakes | Typically last longer thanks to regenerative braking reducing mechanical brake wear. |
| 12V battery | Similar to any car’s battery; an occasional replacement cost. |
| Software and electronics | Rare but can occasionally be a more specialized (and pricier) repair than equivalent gas car electronics. |
Our post on whether EV brakes wear out faster explains the brake wear side of this in more depth.
The one wildcard: repair specialization
While routine maintenance is generally cheaper, EV-specific repairs, particularly anything involving the high-voltage battery or drive system, sometimes require specialized technicians and parts, which can be pricier on the rare occasions they’re needed. Our post on whether you can take your EV to any mechanic covers which repairs fall into this category.
Fewer scheduled visits, not just cheaper ones
Beyond individual cost per service, EVs also tend to require fewer total maintenance visits over a given number of miles, since so many of the recurring items on a gas car’s schedule simply don’t apply. Fewer shop visits means less time without your car and less cumulative labor cost over the years, on top of whatever each individual visit costs. Our post on what regular maintenance an EV actually needs lays out the full schedule.
The net effect
For most owners, the savings from skipped maintenance items outweigh the occasional higher-cost specialized repair, resulting in lower total maintenance costs over a typical ownership period, though the exact savings depend on the specific vehicles being compared and how many miles are driven.
💡 Tip: Our EV vs. Gas Cost Calculator factors maintenance into a full side-by-side ownership cost comparison.