Do Electric Vehicles Have Lower Maintenance Costs?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Are you considering getting an electric vehicle for your next car? Tesla may have made the electric car cool, but there are many other benefits to owning an EV. Check out what the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy found about electric vehicle maintenance costs for various vehicles.

What is the average electric vehicle maintenance cost per mile?

A Tesla plugs in to a Tesla branded electric vehicle charger at a shopping center | Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) study found that battery-electric vehicles have a lower maintenance cost than other light-duty vehicles. In the study, the EERE found that maintenance for a light-duty battery-electric vehicle (BEV) came out to 6.1 cents per mile. A conventional gasoline vehicle or conventional internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) came out to around 10.1 cents per mile.

The maintenance cost is higher since a BEV does not have engine oil, a timing belt, spark plugs, and other items. Other cars included in the study were the hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) and the plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle (PHEV). Both of these had lower maintenance costs than the ICEV but saved money on brake maintenance.

Is maintenance cheaper on electric cars?

 Maintenance costs for electric vehicles | U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Some of the other areas where the electric vehicle maintenance costs pulled ahead were areas like the transmission service, oxygen sensor, and timing belts. The aforementioned spark plugs affected the cost. In the graph above, you can see which areas had the most impact. Another area of high cost for ICEV vehicles was engine oil, engine coolant, and brake pads.

Some areas where electric vehicles had similar costs were the multi-point inspection, starter battery, wiper blades, and tires. Tire rotation also had a similar cost across all four vehicles. Though the difference in cost was only about 4.0 cents across the board, that adds up over time.

The difference between a BEV and a PHEV was only about 0.02 cents per mile. Between a BEV and HEV, the difference was only about 0.03 cents per mile. This shows that no matter if you are driving a battery-electric vehicle, hybrid-electric vehicle, or battery-electric vehicle, all of these options have a lower maintenance cost per mile over a regular gasoline car.

How do EV and hybrid warranties work?

One of the major differences between gasoline vehicles and electric vehicles is the battery for your EV. Batteries are included in the emissions system. Because of that, batteries are warrantied by the government for eight years or up to 100,000 miles. This also covers important parts like the battery cooling system and CVT transmission.

In California, the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program ensures coverage for even longer. California hybrids are covered for up to 10-years, 150,000 miles. Most companies have a similar eight-year, 100,000 warranty for batteries and related parts. Kia’s 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty goes beyond federal expectations. Hyundai offers a lifetime battery warranty on the Kona EV, as well.

Tesla offers a basic vehicle warranty for four years or 50,000 miles. The supplemental restraint warranty covers five years of 60,000 miles. The battery and drive unit warranty depends on which vehicle you have. Additionally, the newer vehicles have different warranties as the batteries improve.

EVs might still be working out the detail on some items, but the electric vehicle maintenance costs are years ahead. If you are considering purchasing an EV, check the manufacturers warranty information. Be sure to take care of the battery of the EV, as that will keep your vehicle on the road for longer.

RELATED: Can non-Tesla Electric Vehicles Charge at Tesla Charging Stations?

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This Japanese Automaker Has More American-Made Vehicles Than Ford

by Gabrielle DeSantis

There’s long been a big push for people to buy American cars. Back in the day, buying American was the only thing most people would consider. As our world has become increasingly connected, car shoppers are often willing to consider vehicles made from companies that aren’t American. Yet what makes a car American, and could Honda be more American than Ford?

2021 Honda Pilot | Honda

How did Cars.com find Honda more American than Ford?

A red 2021 Ford F-150 kicks up dirt.
2021 Ford F-150 | Ford

A survey by Cars.com concluded that nearly three quarters of car shoppers at least consider where the vehicle they’re thinking of buying comes from. At the same time, not many people know where that is. Many people assume a Ford is made in America, and a Honda is made in Japan. Yet the truth is more complicated than that, as Cars.com proved.

Collecting information about not only where vehicles are manufactured, but also where their parts come from and the makeup of the labor source that gets that car to the dealership, Cars.com was able to compile a list of 90 cars. They then ranked these by how “American” they are. Cars.com didn’t include vehicles with small production numbers, fleet-only vehicles, and vehicles in their last year of production. The conclusion? Honda is more American than Ford.

Where are Hondas made?

2021 Honda Ridgeline | Honda

Although Honda is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, its American headquarters is in California. A bunch of Honda vehicles are actually made in Ohio, Alabama, Indiana, the Carolinas, and Georgia. In fact, Honda has four vehicles in the top ten most American vehicles, while Ford only has one.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline, number six on the list, is the highest ranked pickup truck. The Ridgeline and the number seven Honda Odyssey are both made in Lincoln, Alabama. So are the number eight Honda Passport and the number nine Honda Pilot. That’s a whole lot of American-made Hondas. 

Marysville, Ohio, is responsible for the number 17 Honda Accord, and the number 67 Honda Accord Hybrid. Some CR-Vs, number 69 on the list, are also made in Marysville. The rest are made in Japan. Just kidding, they’re made in Greensburg, Indiana and East Liberty, Ohio. 

Number 77 on the list is the Insight, and number 90 is another Civic. These are both made in Greensburg, Indiana as well. 

Ford takes the number two spot of most American-made vehicles

An orange 2021 Ford Mustang against a black background.
2021 Ford Mustang | Ford

Thanks to the Mustang, made in Flat Rock, Michigan, Ford does take the second highest ranking. If you want an American made car and you love Mustangs, you’re in luck. 

Otherwise you can go with the number 11 Ford Expedition, made in Louisville, Kentucky, or the number 28 Ranger, made in Wayne Michigan. Another Michigan vehicle, the number 29 F-150, is made in both Dearborn and also Claycomo, Missouri. The F-150 Hybrid, number 43 on the list, is made in the same locations as the regular F-150.

The Ford Explorer, number 44, is the only Ford on this list made in Chicago. If you want a Ford Escape Hybrid, or a Ford Escape, numbers 61 and 62, know that they’re coming from Louisville, Kentucky. 

In total, Honda has 13 vehicles on the list of 90 most American made cars, while Ford only has 11. If buying American is a priority for you, it seems like Honda may be the way to go. 

RELATED: The 2021 Tesla Model 3 Is the Most American-Made Car

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Police Catch Tesla Model 3 Driver Sleeping With Autopilot on the Highway

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Whether you believe the Tesla Model 3 and its Autopilot system are the way of the future or just fancy cruise control, there’s no denying that the system has created a few unusual situations. In fact, the Tesla covered in this latest police video appears to show just that. That’s because the footage appears to show a driver asleep behind the wheel as the EV drives along a major highway.

This video was posted to the Code Blue Cam channel on YouTube. According to TMJ4, the incident took place in Illinois earlier in May. This whole situation started as other drivers called in to report a driver that appeared to be asleep. However, as the officers caught up, that’s exactly what they seem to have found.

Was this Tesla Model 3 owner asleep at the wheel?

The video of the Tesla Model 3 embedded above begins as a police officer catches up with the EV on the highway. After noticing that the driver was asleep, the officer decided to turn on his lights in an attempt to pull over the driver. However, the car doesn’t stop. Instead, the EV continues at a speed of around 82 mph for two miles before the driver wakes up and eventually pulls over.

Naturally, the first question, in this case, is whether or not the Tesla Model 3 was utilizing its Autopilot system as its driver slept behind the wheel. According to TMJ4, this was obviously the case, or else the driver would’ve undoubtedly crashed. However, after officers pulled the driver over, he insisted that he wasn’t sleeping and was just tired while driving to work.

While the car’s autopilot system can certainly be criticized for allowing this kind of situation to happen, it is also worth noting that it likely saved its owner’s life. If the driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel without the Autopilot system, he likely would’ve crashed.

Is Autopilot safe to use?

Tesla Model 3 | Tesla

On paper, the Tesla Model 3’s Autopilot system is supposed to require input from its driver every so often to ensure that the driver is still paying attention. However, throughout the years, several cases of drivers asleep behind the wheel have arisen, opening the floor for some fairly valid criticism. In fact, just a few months ago, we saw a case two people lost their lives trying to utilize Autopilot from the car’s rear seat.

However, in most cases, it seems perfectly safe to utilize the car’s Autopilot system as long as you keep in mind that it doesn’t allow the EV to drive itself. Instead, you should think of it as an advanced form of cruise control designed to keep you in the lane. This is especially useful for long trips where driving highway miles can get quite exhausting.

Did the Tesla Model 3 receive a citation?

An image of a red Tesla Model 3 out on the road.
Tesla Model 3 | Tesla

RELATED: Is This Aftermarket Tesla Model 3 Yoke Wheel Cool or Downright Crazy?

In the end, this Tesla Model 3 story ends exactly as you’d expect it to. TMJ4 reports that the driver in question ended up receiving a $187.90 citation for inattentive driving. In fact, the driver even went to court and pleaded no contest. While this situation ended with a relatively happy ending, we could’ve been covering a completely different story had the system failed.

The post Police Catch Tesla Model 3 Driver Sleeping With Autopilot on the Highway appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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Porsche 911 GT3 RS Convertible Is a Custom-Built Roadster That Never Existed

by Gabrielle DeSantis

If you’re at all interested in buying a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, chances are you do not wish it was a convertible. In fact, the closest Porsche ever got to building something like this was last-gen’s 911 Speedster which featured the GT3’s 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six. However, this fact certainly wasn’t enough to stop a die-hard drop-top fan because they went as far as building one.

According to CarBuzz, the custom convertible we’ll be looking at today recently came up for auction on PCarMarket. However, this isn’t an all-out racer. Instead, this conversion utilizes a Carrera S as its base. So let’s find out if this motorsport inspiration is more than just skin deep.

How much of a Porsche 911 GT3 RS is this custom-built convertible?

Porsche 911 GT3 RS Convertible | PCarMarket

If you’re wondering how much of a Porsche 911 GT3 RS this clone actually is, it certainly got all of the aesthetic bits right. For starters, it features the same louvered fenders, front bumpers, and rear wing as the RS. This also includes the small details such as the side air intakes, mirrors, and exhaust tips as well. If you just saw the front end of this creation, it would undoubtedly look like the RS.

Instead of opting for a set of Porsche 911 GT3 RS wheels, the builders of this car decided to utilize a set from HRE with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. While these wheels certainly don’t have the same motorsport-inspired look, they allow you to get a close look at the yellow brake calipers behind them.

If this build looks high quality, that’s because it is, and as you’d expect, it cost an ungodly amount of money to create.

How much does it cost?

An image of a Porsche 911 GT3 RS Convertible build parked outdoors.
Porsche 911 GT3 RS Convertible | PCarMarket

This Porsche 911 GT3 RS build comes from the folks over at Wicked Motor Works in California. According to CarBuzz, this car started life as a 911 Carrera S Cabriolet, which retails for around $128,000. However, it took an additional $200,000 to create this custom build. When you factor in all of the necessary costs, this replica costs more than the original.

As mentioned earlier, this car is currently up for sale, and the big currently sits at $45,000. However, it should sell for significantly more than that when the bidding ends on Friday. We can’t imagine it’ll sell significantly more than the original Carrera S costs, especially when you consider that it still houses the same 3.8-liter flat-six engine at the back. However, this car could offer you something the GT3 RS can’t.

Can this be a Porsche 911 GT3 RS replacement?

An image of a Porsche 911 GT3 RS Convertible build parked outdoors.
Porsche 911 GT3 RS Convertible | PCarMarket

RELATED: The Chevy Corvette C8 Just Left the Porsche 911 and Mercedes-AMG GT Behind

As you might imagine, this custom creation is by no means a Porsche 911 GT3 RS replacement. However, since it doesn’t feature the same track-oriented suspension as the track toy, it’ll likely be significantly softer on the street. As a result, this car might be a great buy for the kind of person that wants to look like they can go fast without actually doing it. So if an RS with a soft edge, this is the only one available.

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