EV warning over major issue that could cost electric car drivers thousands to fix

ELECTRIC car drivers have been warned over a major issue that could cost drivers thousands to fix.

Battery-powered vehicles are expected to cost less to service due to fewer moving parts and the absence of requirements such as oil changes.

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But tyres in electric cars are likely to last less than in petrol vehicles, according to the major tyre provider in the UK, ATS.

The tyre and maintenance provider explains that this is down to several factors, including the weight of the cars and regenerative braking.

The majority are heavy SUVs, which, when combined with the height of a large battery, makes them extremely heavy.

According to the average replacement tyre fitted to an electric vehicle costs £207 (per tyre), whereas petrol car drivers have to pay £130.

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However, Mark Holland, operations director at , said: “The greatest influence on the wear rate of tyres is the driver.

“With EVs, there does seem to be a tendency for drivers new to electric vehicles to make continued use of the exceptional acceleration offered – at least during the initial phase of the driver’s lifecycle with the vehicle.

“The data is very young at the moment, and there’s certainly not enough to draw significant conclusions about tyre wear, but driver behaviour appears to be a significant factor.”

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"This strongly suggests to us that fleets should prepare for accelerated tyre replacement on EVs, certainly in the first phase of driver use. It seems the novelty of the EV driving experience is having an unexpected effect on tyre wear rates.

“We would also suggest that fleets actively consider driver training before handing over a new EV to a company employee to mitigate these issues, but also as part of a broader duty of care programme.”

This comes after a Tesla owner slammed the electric car after buying the Model S for a whopping £44k.

Plus, a car expert shockingly revealed the three reasons why he regrets buying a Tesla.