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Electric vehicle maintenance and repair predictions and impact on AI

Electric vehicle maintenance and repair predictions and impact on AI

Recent data published by Epyx* shows that maintenance and repair costs for electric vehicles are starting to deliver cost savings compared to hybrid and internal combustion engine vehicles.

Based on the sample of over 400,000 electric vehicles on the platform, the data showed that the average SMR spend on an electric vehicle in the first year of operation was £141, compared to £195 for hybrid vehicles and £199 for internal combustion engine vehicles. In the third year it was £221 for electric vehicles versus £341 for hybrid vehicles and £401 for combustion engine vehicles.

In terms of the number of workshop visits, the average for electric vehicles after three years was 1.36 compared to 1.53 visits for hybrid and combustion vehicles.

While these numbers are compelling, a full comparison will require more data on wear components – particularly tires and brake pads – as the electric vehicle fleet ages. SMR forecast data predicts an increased number of tires and brake pads on older electric vehicles due to the increased weight of the battery compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. Additionally, the costs associated with defective batteries are a major uncertainty that still needs to be reckoned with.

SMR and AI

Previous articles have discussed the impact of AI on vehicle acquisition and remarketing. It will be interesting to see how AI continues to impact service, maintenance and repair management in the future. Data is already available to predict the likelihood of component failure on a given vehicle over the next 12 months, based on the application of artificial intelligence to a make and model’s MOT history. The fleet management software also has built-in automatic invoice approval for routine invoices, but there is undoubtedly room for AI to further streamline this management process in the future.

At Fleet Mobility Live, I was interested in how AI can alert fleet operators to vehicle problems before an error code is triggered. This can also result in significant savings in operating costs by improving fuel efficiency and reducing vehicle downtime. The company behind the initiative is Intangibles, which has developed a system that can reduce fuel consumption and maintenance costs by 10%, while reducing the number of breakdowns by 75%.

The system monitors data processed on the vehicle’s CAN bus in real time. This is used to create an accurate model of the current vehicle condition and trigger alerts to the fleet manager with recommendations to resolve the problem area.

Ian Hare, Managing Director, Motor Management

* https://www.epyx.co.uk/2024/09/05/our-new-report-shows-garages-how-their-smr-compares-to-national-trends/