The expenses associated with car repairs have seen a constant upward trend over the years. As cars become more advanced in their technology, the cost of repairing them also rises accordingly. Interestingly, although repairing electric cars does come at a higher price compared to gasoline cars, the disparity is not as substantial as commonly believed.
According to Mitchell Research Company, the cost of car repairs in 2022 has risen by 36% in comparison to 2018.
Ryan Mandell, the claims director at Mitchell, stated that the modern digital architecture has made it exceedingly challenging to restore a vehicle to its original condition. In recent times, electric cars have gained significant traction and are growing in popularity. Consequently, many owners of electric vehicles have been taken aback by the need to cover “substantial” repair expenses for even minor mistakes.
For instance, if owners of the Rivian R1T electric pickup truck are involved in a small rear-end collision, they can expect to pay as much as $42,000 (equivalent to 994 million VND).
Contrary to popular belief, the difference in repair costs between electric cars and gasoline cars in the same category is not as significant as many people assume. According to Mitchell, the average repair cost for electric vehicles in the US is only $2,400 (equivalent to 57 million VND) higher than that of gasoline cars. However, it is important to note that 75% of the electric cars that are brought in for repair fall into the luxury car category, with costs ranging from $40,000 to $110,000 (equivalent to 947 million to 2.6 billion VND).
In the well-liked category, electric cars exhibit repair costs that are just $800 (equivalent to 20 million VND) higher than gasoline cars. Even in the upscale category, the expenses for car repairs are nearly identical.
For car models that offer both gasoline and pure electric versions, the repair costs for electric cars are only 2% more expensive than their gasoline counterparts, such as the Hyundai Kona and Volvo XC40.
Certainly, when the malfunctioning component of an electric vehicle happens to be the battery, the cost of repair tends to be exorbitant. Consequently, this issue poses a significant challenge for manufacturers as they struggle to identify a solution.
