Quote:
Originally Posted by chad86tsi
replacing a head gasket or dropping in a fresh short block is something many can and do choose to do themselves, at a nominal cost relative to the replacement cost of the car in many cases.
Who here can R&R an EV battery pack?
I've ground-up rebuilt multiple cars and have no problems diving in with both hands. I also have a degree in electrical engineering and have worked in the electrical industry for 29 years so I'm well qualified in both areas, I'll probably never rebuild a battery pack. It's just not how those work or are built.
With regards to the cost of batteries, we are moving towards a model where repairs of battery packs will exceed the value of the cars in need. These cars will become disposable as a result. These cars and batteries have been in the market for over a decade, and the batteries haven't gotten cheaper, so spare the comments about that.
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Actually, lithium batteries cost per kWh is down by 90% since 2010 and hopefully more car manufacturers will make it easier to swap out batteries, especially in labor costs. Battery swaps in lieu of charging has already been adopted in China and is spreading. With recycling getting raise in the future, the cost effectiveness of EV batteries will
only increase.
Also, less moving parts means less overall maintenance for an EV. So while you might know how to drop in a new had gasket every 120k miles, EVs simply don't have head gaskets. Rough idling, sluggish old clunkers will be largely a thing of the past, not to mention oil stains in the driveway.