What’s cheaper to maintain? Battery, motor, or transmission replacement costs?
The most expensive batteries per kWh are found in hybrids, of any type. On average, the total kWh cost for hybrids is 40% higher than that of EV battery systems.
The most expensive complete drivetrain systems, on average, are hybrids, followed by ICE vehicles, while EV systems are the cheapest. (This refers to the average cost!)
The worst parts procurement systems, right-to-repair access, and support (backend/frontend) are from: Xpeng, MG, BYD, Stellantis, Honda, Nissan, Volvo, Rivian, Lucid, Mazda, Hyundai, Kia.
MG and BYD have not yet activated their RMI systems.
Lucid and Rivian have no RMI systems at all.
Hyundai does not issue invoices, leaving accounting departments with nothing to process.
Kia has not yet approved RMI accounts and discriminates against Croatian and Slovenian owners by blocking access to Kia Connect.
Warranties you cannot rely on if you purchase vehicles from: Stellantis, Mercedes, Kia, Hyundai.
Cheapest components:
Tesla has the lowest kWh cost.
VW has the cheapest OBC.
Tesla has the cheapest electric motors.
Tesla also has the best right-to-repair (RMI) system.
Tesla and BMW offer the best powertrain value and cheapest powertrain parts.
Porsche has the most expensive parts globally.
Best RMI systems (critical for sustainability and cost-effectiveness): Tesla, BMW, Mercedes, VAG, Ford, Toyota.
Worst systems: Stellantis, Kia, Hyundai, Xpeng, MG, BYD.
The most expensive systems (unsustainable for servicing): BMW, Xpeng, BYD—this significantly increases the total cost of vehicle ownership and reduces ROI.
Lucid, Rivian, and others have no support systems, meaning these vehicles should be avoided as they could become unusable and not servicable at any moment.
Chinese brands have proven completely unprepared for European expansion and lack scalable systems for corporate and aftermarket needs. Some EU representatives of these brands are already considering withdrawal due to non-functional EPC catalogs and even worse support.
Mythbusting EV, ICE and Hybrid powertrain price Comparison – EV Clinichttps://evclinic.eu/2025/01/19/ultimate-ev-ice-and-hybrid-comparison/data sheet
EV vs ICE vs HEV by EV CLINIC - Tabulky Googlehttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10_jF89qI2njlzqcPw4BNmeW-F2AzMc9yR5PPxvmIdnU/edit