Do I Need an Extended Warranty on an Electric Car?

If you own an electric vehicle and the manufacturer's warranty is about to expire or has already expired, consider getting an extended warranty. Learn more about electric vehicle warranties and how they can help protect against costly repairs.

Do I Need an Extended Warranty on an Electric Car?

If you own an electric vehicle and the manufacturer's warranty is about to expire or has already expired, you may want to consider getting an extended warranty. An extended warranty is an insurance policy that helps protect against costly repairs once the manufacturer's warranty expires. It can cover expensive parts specific to electric vehicles, such as the battery, high-voltage components, cables and connectors. Most electric vehicle factory warranties cover the battery for at least eight years, and some car manufacturers offer coverage for up to 10 years.

If you have an extended car warranty, it may allow you to cover part of the cost of certain repairs to your vehicle. Federal regulation requires manufacturers of electric and hybrid vehicles to provide battery coverage for a minimum of eight years. If you plan to keep your car until its wheels fall off, you might want to consider purchasing an extended warranty to cover repairs in the fifth and sixth year or more. However, if you keep or lease your car for less than the duration of the factory warranty, then you don't need an extended warranty. Currently, it's not very common for third-party vendors to offer warranties for electric or hybrid batteries.

We've looked at the best extended car warranty companies to help you find the right coverage for your electric vehicle. Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular and the electric vehicle (EV) market continues to grow. Electric and hybrid vehicles are not immune to mechanical problems, but their batteries and engines are reliable. The most common problems found in electric vehicles are faults in car electronics, climate systems, and power equipment. An extended warranty for an electric vehicle is an extended service contract that covers the repair or replacement of certain vehicle components. It's important to note that because of federal regulation on the duration of factory coverage for electric vehicle batteries, after-sales warranties for electric vehicles aren't very common right now.