New energy vehicle owners complain about the cost of repairs: a minor scratch costs 20,000 yuan

New energy vehicles are becoming more and more popular among consumers due to their low carbon, environmental protection, energy saving and fuel saving. However, the maintenance cost of new energy vehicles is a headache for many car owners. According to incomplete statistics, the maintenance cost of new energy vehicles is 3-5 times higher than that of traditional gasoline vehicles, and even some minor scratches and bumps can cost tens of thousands of yuan.

Recently, a new energy vehicle owner posted a list of vehicle repair prices. The repair cost of a minor scratch was as high as nearly 20,000 yuan, of which the price of the laser radar alone was more than 9,000 yuan. This is not even the battery, otherwise the repair cost would be even higher.

According to industry insiders, the maintenance cost of new energy vehicles is high, mainly due to several reasons:

First of all, new energy vehicles have many and expensive electronic components. In order to improve the level of intelligence and safety performance, new energy vehicles are usually covered with various sensors, radars, cameras and other electronic devices around the body. Although these devices improve the driving experience and safety, they also increase the difficulty and cost of maintenance. Once a collision or scratch occurs, these devices are easily damaged and difficult to repair, and can only be replaced. The price of these devices is not cheap. For example, a laser radar costs tens of thousands.

Secondly, the integrated design of new energy vehicles is difficult to repair. In order to reduce cost and weight, improve space and handling, many new energy vehicles use integrated die-casting technology to manufacture the body and chassis. Although such a design is conducive to improving the performance and stability of the whole vehicle, it also brings difficulties in maintenance. Because once the integrated parts are damaged, it is difficult to repair or replace them locally, and they can only be replaced as a whole. And the cost of such replacement is very high.

Thirdly, the batteries of new energy vehicles are expensive. The battery is one of the most core and expensive components of new energy vehicles, which determines the range and power performance of new energy vehicles. In order to increase the riding space and safety, most new energy vehicles install the battery pack under the chassis. Although this helps to lower the center of gravity and improve stability, it also increases the risk of damage to the battery pack. If a bump or collision occurs, the battery pack may short-circuit, leak, catch fire and other dangerous situations, and it is difficult to detect and repair. The cost of replacing the battery pack is as high as tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan.

Finally, the maintenance market for new energy vehicles is imperfect. Since new energy vehicles are still a relatively new field compared to traditional gasoline vehicles, their parts supply, maintenance technology, service standards, etc. are not mature and standardized enough. At present, most new energy vehicles can only be repaired at the original factory or authorized 4S stores, and there are not many aftermarket brands to choose from like traditional gasoline vehicles. This has led to the monopoly of new energy vehicle parts prices and labor costs by car companies, while car owners do not have much room for bargaining and channels for rights protection.

In summary, the high maintenance cost of new energy vehicles is mainly due to its structural design, electronic components, battery prices, maintenance market and other factors. This is undoubtedly a big obstacle to the popularization and development of new energy vehicles. Therefore, relevant departments and industry associations should strengthen the supervision and regulation of the new energy vehicle maintenance market to promote its healthy development. At the same time, car companies should also increase technological innovation and cost control of new energy vehicles, improve their maintenance performance and safety performance, and reduce their maintenance costs. When buying new energy vehicles, car owners should also pay attention to choosing brands and models with good after-sales service and insurance policies to avoid unnecessary troubles and losses during maintenance.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.