Photo: Chevrolet
When the first PHEVs and EVs made their shy debut in the automotive world and infiltrated in the US markets, skeptics said - among other things - maintenance costs are one major drawback.
To be perfectly honest, they were right. But that's only a natural thing since a more complex and new powertrain will require a more specialized service process.
This was one of the reasons why potential buyers adopted a reluctant attitude when it came to buying a plug-in hybrid. But as technology evolved, and the green movement gained momentum, repair costs went down slowly, but steadily.
According to CarMD, the average hybrid repair cost dropped heavily from 2013 to 2014, for a fifth year in a row. Last year, the average repair expenses for a hybrid were rated at $1,357, whereas, in 2013, the cost was evaluated at $2,800. That's a massive 51% decrease in just one year, but there are also some downfalls to that.
For example, the average price of a replacement battery pack went up to $3,479 in 2014. That accounts for an 11 percent increase compared to 2013, when owners had to pay on an average $3,140.
Before coming up with the results in the Vehicle Health Index, Car MD analyzed data from 90,051 car repairs carried out in the United States in 2014.
Coming back to the drop in maintenance costs, now. This trend took off and continued to expand as hybrid part availability and technicians trained to service hybrids grew. As a result, hybrids accounted for only one of the top 10 most expensive repairs in 2014 as opposed to three the previous year.
Such findings are a clear sign that EVs and PHEVs are starting to find their roots in the market, but the market is also reacting to this change. Eventually, customers are the ones seeing the benefits from a financial point of view, which could persuade other to opt for a green car in the future.
This was one of the reasons why potential buyers adopted a reluctant attitude when it came to buying a plug-in hybrid. But as technology evolved, and the green movement gained momentum, repair costs went down slowly, but steadily.
According to CarMD, the average hybrid repair cost dropped heavily from 2013 to 2014, for a fifth year in a row. Last year, the average repair expenses for a hybrid were rated at $1,357, whereas, in 2013, the cost was evaluated at $2,800. That's a massive 51% decrease in just one year, but there are also some downfalls to that.
For example, the average price of a replacement battery pack went up to $3,479 in 2014. That accounts for an 11 percent increase compared to 2013, when owners had to pay on an average $3,140.
Before coming up with the results in the Vehicle Health Index, Car MD analyzed data from 90,051 car repairs carried out in the United States in 2014.
Coming back to the drop in maintenance costs, now. This trend took off and continued to expand as hybrid part availability and technicians trained to service hybrids grew. As a result, hybrids accounted for only one of the top 10 most expensive repairs in 2014 as opposed to three the previous year.
Such findings are a clear sign that EVs and PHEVs are starting to find their roots in the market, but the market is also reacting to this change. Eventually, customers are the ones seeing the benefits from a financial point of view, which could persuade other to opt for a green car in the future.
Google News