CINEVE | Rising insurance and repair costs: why are EV repairs so expensive?

With low electricity costs and simplified maintenance processes, new energy vehicles have become the first choice for many car buyers. However, many owners report that while daily operating costs are indeed low, repair expenses often exceed expectations when maintenance is needed. This has made “affordable to buy, costly to repair” a common label for new energy vehicles. Objectively, the higher repair costs are not due to vehicle quality issues, but rather stem from a combination of factors such as the unique structural design of new energy vehicles and their after-sales service models.

1. Owner Pain Points: Minor Faults, High Costs

The cost differences between maintaining new energy vehicles (NEVs) and traditional fuel vehicles are most pronounced in handling minor faults. Traditional fuel vehicles have a high degree of modularity, with exterior and mechanical components that can mostly be replaced individually. Items such as body panels, bulbs, and motors can be replaced separately, with most minor repairs costing only a few hundred yuan. In contrast, NEVs often feature highly integrated designs. Components like side mirrors and headlights frequently house advanced electronics such as ADAS radar, cameras, and control circuit boards.

Everyday issues like minor collisions, moisture-induced circuit problems, and long-term component aging can lead to functional failures. It is difficult for owners to assess internal damage based solely on external appearance, and minor faults combined with integrated parts can result in relatively high repair costs. Additionally, improper daily charging habits and neglect of chassis impacts can accelerate battery and electronic system wear over time, increasing the likelihood of faults and reinforcing the perception that NEV maintenance is expensive.

2. Root Causes of High Repair Costs: Structural Characteristics and After-Sales Factors

Beyond differences in daily driving habits, the generally higher repair costs of new energy vehicles are mainly driven by two aspects: vehicle architecture and the current after-sales service system.

From a structural perspective, NEVs rely heavily on core components such as batteries, electronic control systems, and various precision electronic parts. These components tend to be more sophisticated, with lower interchangeability and limited universality of spare parts. Compared with traditional fuel vehicles, where parts are widely available in a mature aftermarket with relatively transparent pricing, NEV-specific components typically involve higher production costs. At the same time, repair procedures require more specialized technical expertise, further increasing maintenance complexity and overall service costs.

3. Healthy Industry Development: A Shared Expectation of Vehicle Owners and the Sector

The number of new energy vehicles in China has been increasing year by year. However, the development of the after-sales maintenance system has not yet kept pace with the rapid expansion of the market. Issues such as repair pricing transparency and restricted parts circulation have become key concerns in the NEV aftermarket, and are also closely watched by vehicle owners.

To support long-term and stable industry growth, coordinated efforts from automakers and the aftermarket sector are essential. Automakers can gradually improve their after-sales maintenance mechanisms by introducing more refined repair solutions for partial damage and minor faults, instead of relying solely on full assembly replacement. At the same time, the industry should moderately open up compliant parts distribution channels and expand the supporting ecosystem for third-party repair services, allowing market competition to help optimize pricing structures. In addition, relevant industry regulations can be further refined over time by standardizing inspection procedures, fault assessment criteria, and pricing guidelines. This would help reduce inconsistencies in repair quotations and gradually promote a more standardized and transparent maintenance ecosystem.