Do Electric Cars Use Oil?

Given that electric cars actually have some similarities with gas-powered cars, people often wonder if electric cars use any oil at all. The answer is no! While gasoline-fueled cars use oil to lubricate their vehicle, electric vehicles are powered by an electric motor and a battery, meaning there is no need for oil. Read on to learn more about how to maintain your electric vehicle with Green Family Chevrolet service experts. 

What Are Some Key Electric Car Components?

The biggest components of electric vehicles are: 

• The Battery that generates electricity to power the vehicle’s moving parts 
• The Charging Ports allow you to charge the battery through an external power source 
• The DC-DC Converter takes higher-voltage direct current (DC) power from the battery and converts it into the low-voltage DC power to power the vehicle.
• The Traction Motors operate the wheels from the car’s battery.
• The Onboard Charger takes the alternating current (AC) electricity from an external power source and converts it to DC power to charge the battery. 
• The Thermal System regulates the operating temperature of the vehicle electronics, motor, engine, and other components.

How do Electric Engines Work? 

Electric motors use magnets to convert electrical current (moving streams of electrical charge particles creating their own magnetic field) into mechanical motions. Magnets are used on the other side of an electric motor, generating a field on their own, and when these two fields interact, they create a twisting force known as torque. The stronger the electrical current, the more torque will be generated, which will be used to power the electric vehicle forward.

Electric vehicles used electricity stored in a battery pack to power their electric motors and turn their wheels. When the battery is deleted, you can recharge the battery through grid electricity via a charging station or a wall socket. Electric charging stations are growing more prevalent around the country, so you can keep your vehicle charged when you’re on the go.

How Do You Maintain Your Electric Vehicle? 

Here are some of the fluids that will need to monitor as you are driving from Rock Island to Bettendorf, IA:

• Coolant: Overheating is a common maintenance problem for electric vehicles, so you will need to maintain your car’s coolant levels to prevent it from overheating. 
• Transmission Fluid: The multi-speed or direct-drive transmission of an electronic vehicle may require fluid changes. Make sure to check your owner’s manual for the recommended intervals of when to complete this service.
• Brake Fluid: Brake fluid is especially important in making sure that the system works properly, which is highly important as this system produces power and slows down the vehicle on Moline roads. 

Learn More About Electric Cars at Green Family Chevrolet

There is still more to learn about owning and maintaining an electric vehicle, so contact us if you’d need more information, or browse our hub of service tips and tricks to gain more insight into electric car maintenance. Want to know about electric charging times? Take a look at our handy guide!