Current Trends in Electric Cars
An electric car runs on a simple electric motor. Many assume there is no gearbox and that a traction battery with its control electronics is all that is needed. Yet even electric vehicles require care and occasional repairs. The common belief that electric cars are ultra-reliable is widespread, but reality shows that they also demand maintenance and sometimes service for faults.
Electric Teslas have become a familiar sight on roads. Models 3, X and Y are still relatively new, with no widespread issues reported yet. The Model S, introduced almost a decade ago, is now driven by high-mileage owners as well. Problems with dead batteries or motors are not just about normal wear. There are Teslas with 250,000 to 300,000 kilometers showing battery degradation around 25 to 30 percent.
Tesla has faced cooling system weaknesses. The bypass valve can lose its seal over time, allowing liquid to enter the battery and potentially ignite. All issues tie back to the temperature management system. In many climates with wide temperature swings and cold winters, bypass valves can fail. Over time, rubber seals crack and coolant can reach the battery cells or even the motor, risking shorts in wiring or cells.
Repairing such issues has prompted modernization efforts using different materials. The updated design can cost around 75 to 80 thousand rubles. The expense stems from the need to remove the battery during repair. Still, the investment may be worthwhile because the alternative is a risk of a vehicle catching fire in the worst scenario.
The term battery explosion is not a metaphor here—a normal BMW cell and a ruptured cell look very different. Another challenge for Tesla owners is a display problem nicknamed the “Malevich square,” a tightly extinguished central screen on the dashboard. Recovery costs are about 40 thousand rubles. The barrier is that Teslas are often tracked online and every software update makes bypassing security harder for diagnosis and repair. So far, there are no absolute barriers, but the difficulty grows with each update.
Mercedes electric vehicles in the EQ line have their own strict protections. Near a service center that repairs electric cars, several recent EQCs might be found in a discharged state. The Mercedes EQC and related models can appear as expensive projects, with some requiring authorization to access diagnostic tools. When the company leaves the market, access can vanish. Hacking attempts do not guarantee success. The only practical option may be to tow the car abroad for repair, and that can be costly. Disassembly and diagnosis of motors and batteries alone do not always reveal the root cause when electronics simply drop out. Connecting to read errors often requires specific software and login credentials tied to the service location, meaning sharing access with external dealers is ineffective. Some specialists have tried various methods, including VPNs, but those workarounds are not universal. In some cases, current Mercedes electric vehicles could become expensive paperweights for a simple fault.
There are reports of Tesla motors not burning as often as battery leaks, while similar engines in some Mercedes models burn more frequently.
Burning Concerns
Not all Mercedes electric vehicles are immune. A second-generation B-Class has an electric motor with about 180 horsepower and a modest range of roughly 150 kilometers. These models lack a robust electronics firewall, and cars produced around 2014–2015 can fetch around one and a half million rubles at resale. A common defect is motor failure after about 70–75 thousand kilometers, with replacing the engine costing around 200–220 thousand rubles. Rewinding the armature and stator often isn’t cheaper, and reliability remains uncertain. The practical option can be to source a motor from Europe or the United States, which may mean a wait of a month or two. Cases of burnt-out motors have been reported in the Audi e-tron as well, though it is too soon to determine if this is a widespread problem; repairs run in the same ballpark as Mercedes, around 200 thousand rubles.
On the other hand, some electric vehicles are becoming more dependable. The Jaguar I-Pace has had minor glitches, but its major electrical systems such as the battery, motor, and control units generally hold up well. Nissan Leaf models, especially the first generation ZE0, are known for battery wear due to age. Repacking the battery and replacing defective cells is common, with costs tied to the number of cells replaced. Individual cells run roughly three to five thousand rubles, while a full battery replacement can reach four hundred fifty to five hundred thousand rubles.
The second generation Leaf (ZE1) appeared later and most battery damage cases are linked to rapid charging. Nissan batteries lack a full thermoregulation system and do not appreciate aggressive fast charging practices.
Where to Repair?
Russia does not have a large network of specialized centers yet, but capable shops exist in several cities. Vladivostok has a number of specialists, which is unsurprising given the prevalence of electric vehicles and hybrids there. Irkutsk also offers services. In the European part, a few offices in Moscow service electric transport, drawing vehicles from neighboring countries such as Belarus and Kazakhstan, sometimes with lengthy queues. These technicians can also service electric scooters and bicycles.
Battery and motor repairs remain common for scooters after amateurs attempt DIY upgrades. Self-assembled battery packs often lead to stinky, unsafe outcomes. As the fleet grows, the network of electrical service centers expands. Repair tasks typically involve replacing bearings in the motor or removing the battery to assess each component’s performance. They are more akin to minor overhauls than the full engine rebuilds typical of internal combustion engines. Yet the cost structure of electric vehicle repairs tends to concentrate on the battery, since domestic cell production is not yet mature enough to supply a full repair ecosystem.
Future improvements in repair networks are likely, but the economics of battery repair remain the largest factor. The presented information reflects the experiences of automotive specialists and industry observers in today’s market.
Notes reveal that the material benefited from the knowledge of Ne Gasoline in its preparation.
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