Cost savings that have long been predicted for EV SMR versus combustion-engined vehicles are now being borne out by real-world data, according to Epyx.

The software firm said data taken from its 1link Servicing Network – used by fleets running more than four million vehicles between them – showed that at the end of the first year of operation, the average SMR spend for an EV was £141, compared with £195 for hybrids and £199 for ICE vehicles. 

By year two, this was £174 for EVs versus £266 for hybrids and £290 for ICE, and in year three the figure was £221 for EVs, compared with £341 for hybrids and £401 for ICE.

In terms of the number of garage visits, the average for EVs after three years was 1.36, compared with 1.53 for both hybrids and ICE.

Epyx did, however, caution that differing mileages would also play a role, with hybrids averaging 38,626 miles over three years, compared with 31,805 miles for EVs and 31,770 for ICE vehicles.

Noticeable savings

Epyx CCO Tim Meadows said: “We’ve previously released SMR data about EVs and it was quite inconclusive, largely because the number on our database was still very low and not really sufficient to build up a consistent picture. However, we now have something like 409,560 EVs on the platform, which provides a much-improved impression.

“Essentially, what we are seeing is both noticeably lower running costs and numbers of garage visits for EVs compared to both hybrids and ICE vehicles. By the end of year three, these are quite substantial – the EV SMR spend is not much more than half seen for ICE.

“For some time, everyone from manufacturers to fleet managers have predicted that EVs will enjoy substantially lower running costs than ICE vehicles because of the reduced number of moving parts and general wear that is inherent in the technology. It’s possible, even probable, that these real-world figures are starting to show this expectation become reality.

“However, when it comes to comparisons to hybrids, the picture is less clear thanks to the much higher mileage in our sample. The additional average 7,000 or so miles covered by the hybrids in our sample could easily account for the differences in SMR cost and garage visits compared to EV, needing items such as additional tyres or brake pads.”