Do electric cars have brake problems?
Cars with batteries on board are becoming more and more popular on Polish roads. However, electric cars have problems with brakes. Find out why this is happening.
In this article:
It all starts with range
Electric cars are treated delicately
Corrosion and brake problems
Electric cars have brake problems – how to deal with them?
Brake discs and pads for electric cars
A common argument in the brochures of electric car manufacturers is the low cost of servicing and daily operation. The number of mechanisms limited to a minimum, simple electric motors and the possibility of “one pedal driving” means that we will also spend little on brake service. It sounds like an ideal, but in practice it looks different. Electric cars have brake problems for several reasons.
It all starts with range
Electric cars are supposed to be the future of the automotive industry. Today, the biggest challenge for manufacturers are batteries. Technology poses significant limitations for companies. Drivers are used to being able to regain their car’s range of 400-1000 km in just a few minutes. It is difficult to change the type of drive when, at best, we have to spend at least a dozen or so minutes at the charger. This seems impractical and forces compromises.
That’s why cars with electric engines are offered with heavy, high-capacity batteries. To bring the level of mobility closer to combustion vehicles. Higher weight means higher rolling resistance. This directly causes an increased demand for energy and the circle closes.
The solution is to be an energy recovery system. Energy recovery during braking allows you to increase the real range of an electric car. The best-developed systems allow you to move using only one pedal – the accelerator. When we take our foot off it, the electric car starts to slow down and, together with the safety systems, it can come to a complete stop at a traffic light or behind another vehicle.
Electric cars are treated delicately
The above-described features related to the range and usability mean that electric cars, despite their high power and huge immediately available torque, are treated delicately. Relatively fast, but short acceleration and well-thought-out braking.
It seems that the weight of the vehicle, which very often exceeds two tons, should cause serious problems with the brakes. And this is basically the case, because the braking system in electric cars suffers greatly. However, we have a reason other than overexploitation.
Frequent use of the benefits of recuperation also reduces brake wear. And in theory this is good, because the discs and brake pads will last longer. That’s right, but under certain conditions.
Corrosion and brake problems
Driving using only the accelerator pedal has its flip side. In addition to real savings related to energy consumption, brake problems are a negative consequence. Electric cars have problems with corrosion of brake discs and pads.
Pressing the brake pedal very gently does not lead to a wide range of operation of the brake caliper and pistons. These items are starting to become stale due to disuse. Additionally, a rusty coating often appears on brake discs. In this case, the elements rub against each other incorrectly, which reduces the level of driving comfort and braking efficiency.
Electric cars have brake problems – how to deal with them?
Common sense is important when operating any car. Any extreme behavior will sooner or later result in repair costs. Excessively looking at the range counter and driving almost exclusively in energy recuperation mode brings a number of problems.
As ROTINGER, we recommend that you start using the brakes as in a conventional car at least once every two weeks. Due to the lack of gears in an electric car, we can treat it as a vehicle with an automatic transmission.
In vehicles with an automatic transmission, the brake is used slightly more frequently than with a manual transmission. Thanks to this, any minor inconveniences with the brakes practically do not occur.
A small loss of range translates into real savings with regular inspection of the braking system. Then we can be sure that the discs and pads have optimal performance and no corrosion limits their efficiency.
Brake discs and pads for electric cars
ROTINGER offers brake discs and pads for electric cars. We will find, among others, references to a model popular in Poland. The Nissan Leaf was one of the first battery-powered cars in Europe. Today, used cars are available at affordable prices and will work well in the city. More information about available brake discs and pads can be found on our website.
ROTINGER brakes – the optimal solution for electric car owners. Check the offer!
Discover ROTINGER:
- brake discs – a wide range of discs for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles
- GRAPHIT LINE brake discs – a unique, patented technology for anti-corrosion protection of brake discs
- HIGH PERFORMANCE brake discs – a special line of High Carbon class discs
- BS LINE brake discs – a wide range of discs integrated with bearings for French cars
- TUNING brake discs – the widest offer on the tuning brake disc market
- brake pads – designed with safety and durability in mind