Do electric cars use oil?

More and more Americans are finding themselves behind the wheel of an electric vehicle (EV). Towards the end of 2022, the rate of sales for EVs was outpacing that of gas-powered engines – with more than 200,000 electric cars being sold in the US in just three months.

While they’re becoming increasingly popular in today’s world, there still seems to be a lot of uncertainty surrounding EVs — namely, what they do and how they work. As electric cars use a different energy source to gas and diesel-powered vehicles, it’s no surprise that they require different upkeep too. Plus, electric hybrids are different still to vehicles that are 100% electric and cars that are fuelled solely by an internal combustion engine (ICE). So, if you’re considering making the switch and wondering whether electric cars use oil, we have all the answers you need to keep your hybrid or EV in perfect working order.

What Are Electric Cars?

As the name suggests, electric cars are cars that run on electricity rather than gas or diesel. They contain an electric motor which draws its energy from a rechargeable battery, rather than an internal combustion engine found in traditional vehicles. Because of this, they don’t have gas tanks that need filling with gasoline, but instead the battery is charged by plugging the vehicle into a charging station. There are an increasing number of public EV charging points these days, and there is also the option of having one installed at your home for personal use.

Do electric cars use oil?

Yes and no. The short answer is that electric cars do not use oil or any other fossil fuels for power. Instead, they run on electricity by taking energy from the grid and storing it in their batteries to power the motor. Because of this, their parts are different from those of a traditional vehicle.

The longer answer is that EVs don’t use engine oil because their engines do not need lubricating like traditional engines. There are far fewer moving parts to the engine of an electric car than that of a gas-powered car and they operate using totally different drivetrains. Since electric vehicles are simply powered by their battery and electric motor, there are no pistons or valves that require the lubrication of engine oil.

Do hybrid cars use oil?

Hybrid electric vehicles still require engine oil as they contain both an electric motor and a traditional combustion engine. This means that the engine requires oil to ensure the many moving parts are lubruicated and work as they should. As with full EVs, the electric part of hybrids does not use oil in any way.

Are electric cars more expensive?

In some ways, an EV poses additional costs to a gas-powered car, but in others you can save money in several areas.

Are electric cars expensive to buy?

Electric cars can be more expensive than traditional cars at the initial purchase stage, based on the fact that manufacturing this type of vehicle is more costly than gas-powered cars. However, there are incentives to purchasing EVs, such as tax credits which potentially reduce the outlay by thousands of dollars.

Are electric cars expensive to run?

Over the course of your EV’s life, it will may well cost you less to operate and run than a traditional vehicle. Recharging an electric car can commonly be cheaper than refuelling at the gas station, although there are several factors that can affect this. These include:

• How far you drive. The more you drive, the more you’ll have to spend on recharging the battery.
• How you drive. Aggressive driving styles and driving at higher speeds will run down your battery charge much faster.
• How you charge your EV. Charging in the middle of the day when energy rates can be higher, and using fast charge will invariably mean a charge costs more. Charging on a slower setting, and outside of peak hours (such as overnight) could reduce charging costs.
• How much you pay for energy. Shopping around different energy providers can often mean securing a lower tariff than you would have otherwise paid.

Do electric cars need oil changes?

While electric hybrids of all kinds do require oil changes, a purely electric vehicle does not require engine oil changes. However, electric vehicles do still use transmission fluid (also known as ‘gear oil’) which does need replacing, as well as brake fluid and coolant. Some electric vehicles also use oil in their reduction gearboxes, which helps to regulate the speed and velocity of the car. This oil may need to be changed during the course of your electric vehicle’s life, but it does not require regular changes.

Gear oil doesn’t need to be changed as often as brake fluid or coolant, or as frequently as engine oil in traditional vehicles, but it is worth doing when needed to keep your EV in top condition. Whether you’re renting or buying, there are few things more satisfying than driving electric vehicle operating at its best.

Now you’ve learnt about whether EVs use oil, why stop there? Discover more on the world of electric vehicles on our blog, and check out your next electric vehicle rental with Hertz.