The cost of spare parts for electric vehicles is high, plus the unique battery structure. In case of an accident, the damage repair of electric vehicles may be more expensive than that of internal combustion engines. Future Tesla models will face this problem in particular.
The problem of accident repair has aroused great concern of electric vehicle enthusiasts. Sandy Munro, an American automotive engineer famous for the online video of dismantling and analyzing electric vehicles, believes that the latest battery pack of Tesla Model Y is "completely non repairable". Reuters quoted him as saying that cars can be "destroyed directly" after an accident. Munro himself claims to be a Tesla fan.
If the battery is damaged, it will be scrapped?
The problem of what will happen to the most expensive parts of electric vehicles in case of accidents has become the focus of customers, factories and insurance companies. Batteries in electric vehicles usually cost more than 10000 euros depending on their journey. Replacing the battery may be more expensive. If the battery is damaged in an accident, the maintenance cost of the electric vehicle will exceed the residual value, and it may be scrapped.
However, automobile manufacturers are trying to play down this problem. They say that electric vehicles can be repaired like internal combustion engines. Because the drive is less complex, it is even easier to repair.
A Volkswagen spokesman said that in general, the difference between electric vehicle maintenance and internal combustion engine vehicle maintenance is only the requirements for the maintenance workshop, and now the workshop must be proficient in using high-pressure technology.
BMW Group points out that the battery is the best protected part in the vehicle. A spokesman said, "In the event of a collision, we have very high requirements for the integrity of the high-voltage battery." After the accident, we can draw a conclusion on whether to check the battery according to the data of the airbag sensor. For the current battery, "if one module needs to be replaced, there is a comprehensive maintenance concept".
Tesla's current battery technology is to combine single batteries into larger modules. These modules are placed in a stable metal frame to form a complete battery. In order to save the expensive and heavy "packaging" of the battery, Tesla will install the battery directly on the bottom of the car body of Model Y in the future. This design cannot separate and repair a single battery. The traditional battery can be replaced with a single module, making maintenance easier.
BMW also hopes to embed its battery directly into the underbody in the future without modules. This model of BMW will be launched in 2025, but the impact of this change on its maintainability still needs attention. In any case, the manufacturer promises that the new power storage device will be designed to be more robust than before.
Tesla's unique problems
Tesla is particularly proud of its giant die-casting technology, which saves hundreds of production steps and components. However, this design may cause trouble to customers. Carsten Reinkemeyer, safety research director of Allianz Insurance Technology Center, said, "Once a large casting is damaged, it may not be economically removed from the vehicle. Only peripheral maintenance can be carried out. Similarly, if the high-voltage battery that is packaged or even installed as a structural element is damaged or defective, it cannot be repaired again."
This issue will definitely affect Tesla. Tesla did not reply to the media's inquiries.
Tesla has publicly stated that they are building their own battery recycling system. This is good for the environment, but not encouraging for drivers.
Insurance of electric vehicles
Reuters reported that American insurance companies have higher requirements on the premium of electric vehicles, but the German Insurance Association (GDV) is still loose. The lobby organization has no special evaluation on the battery damage of electric vehicles after the accident.
According to the data of GDV, the liability insurance loss caused by pure electric vehicles is 10% to 15% lower than that caused by internal combustion engine vehicles on average. The association reported in November that the full insurance damage was similar to that of internal combustion engines. In this study, statisticians analyzed the damage assessment of 18 models of electric and internal combustion engines in the past three years. The result is still "full of uncertainty", because there are relatively few electric vehicles on the road, and most of them are relatively new. By contrast, the full insurance cost of Tesla Model 3 is slightly cheaper than that of BMW 3 series, while that of Model S is more expensive than that of BMW 5 series.
In addition to accidents, buyers still have a lot of uncertainty in terms of batteries. Most brands of electric vehicles guarantee that the battery will maintain at least 70% of the initial power 8 years after purchase or after driving 160000 km, otherwise the battery can be replaced. However, the manufacturer has doubts about the durability of the battery, which means that the extensive after-sales guarantee of the battery may be canceled. A BMW spokesman said, "According to BMW i3, electric vehicles have been launched for ten years, and more than 1.5 million vehicles have been sold, which shows that battery aging has little impact." ADAC shows that some models have more extensive battery warranty. The most powerful is Mercedes Benz EQS, which provides a 10-year or 250000 km warranty.
Nevertheless, the insurance company believes that accident vehicles with broken batteries are more likely to be scrapped directly. GDV wishes to change the "130% rule" in the case of total loss under German law. The regulation requires that the liability insurance must pay the maintenance cost even if the maintenance cost is 30% higher than the replacement value of the vehicle. Insurance lobbyists believe that the old rule of the 1960s is outdated. Electric cars are another story altogether.
