Why EV servicing is different
A petrol car at 10,000 km gets an oil change, a filter, a spark check, maybe brake fluid. The customer drives away.
An EV at 10,000 km gets none of those — there's no oil, no spark, the brake pads barely wear thanks to regen. But the things you do need to check are completely different: battery state-of-health, software version, 12V auxiliary battery condition, coolant level in the battery thermal-management loop, charge-port pin wear, and regen-brake calibration after any tyre swap or wheel alignment.
Most independent AU workshops aren't tooled for this — they either turn the customer away or do a generic service that misses the points that actually matter. The customer notices, and they don't come back.
Workshops who position early lock in EV customers for the 5-7 year ownership cycle. EV owners are tech-aware and notoriously loyal to a workshop that demonstrates EV competence.
Install the app
- Open Apps → App Marketplace
- Find EV Service Specialisation Pack under Automotive ($29/month)
- Click Install — 14-day free trial
Step 1 — Flag vehicles as EV
From the vehicle detail page or edit modal, set Fuel type = `electric` or `hybrid`. The EV service checklist auto-surfaces on vehicles flagged this way. Hybrid vehicles get a combined ICE + EV checklist.
Bulk update — from the vehicles list, filter by Make = Tesla / BYD / MG / Polestar / Kia / Hyundai / Volvo and use the bulk-edit toolbar to set fuel type on all matches at once.
Step 2 — Per-make checklist
When you open a service log for an EV, the checklist surfaces the relevant per-make inspection points:
Tesla (Model 3, Y, S, X)
- Battery SoH from the service-mode menu
- HV battery contactor wear (12-month check from Model 3 2019+)
- Tyre wear pattern (Model 3 inner-shoulder wear is common)
- Brake fluid test (regen reduces wear but the fluid still degrades)
- 12V aux battery — major weak point on Teslas, plan to replace at 3-4 years
- Charge-port latch motor function
- Software version + log any OTA pending
- Cabin filter (Tesla calls it HEPA — under glove box)
BYD (Atto 3, Dolphin, Seal)
- Blade Battery cell-voltage spread from the diagnostic tool
- 12V aux battery (BYD uses lead-acid still)
- Charge-port pin condition (Type 2 AC)
- Tyre pressure (often set high from factory)
- Brake fluid test
MG (ZS EV, MG4)
- Battery thermal management coolant level
- Software version (MG OTAs lag the others)
- Charge-port pins
- 12V aux battery — common failure point on MG ZS EV
- Cabin filter
Polestar 2
- Battery SoH from the Polestar service tool
- HV battery cooling pump check
- 12V aux battery condition
- Charge-port pins + AC inlet seal
- Software version + Google Automotive OS updates
- Tyre wear (high regen — different wear pattern than expected)
Kia EV6 / Hyundai Ioniq 5 / Ioniq 6
- 800V battery isolation test (specialist tool)
- Battery SoH
- 12V aux battery
- Charge-port pins (CCS2 + AC)
- Software version (Kia/Hyundai OTAs roll out in waves)
- Wheel-bearing inspection (heavier vehicles, harder on bearings)
Volvo C40 / XC40 Recharge
- Same Volvo CMA platform as the Polestar 2 — most checks transfer
- Google Automotive OS updates
- Heat-pump function check (Volvo's is more reliable than Tesla's)
Step 3 — Battery state-of-health capture
The single most valuable data point on an EV service is the battery SoH percentage. Capture it consistently and you build a trend chart per vehicle — which is gold for:
- Warranty disputes — if the customer's battery is degrading faster than the manufacturer warranty allows (typically 70% retention at 8 years), they have a claim, and you have the documentation
- Used EV pre-purchase reports — bundle with the Pre-Purchase Inspection app for buyers shopping for a used EV
- Customer reassurance — most EV owners worry about battery degradation; a "your battery is at 94% — well within spec" line on the service report is more valuable than the service itself
The app captures SoH on every service log and renders a per-vehicle trend chart on the vehicle detail page. Three years of data points is when the chart becomes prophecy.
Step 4 — Software version + OTA log
EV software changes everything from range to brake feel. Workshops who log software versions catch issues like:
- "Customer says regen is weaker since last service" — check the OTA log, latest version often dials back regen for warranty reasons
- "Customer says charging stopped at 80%" — software version mismatch with the charger
- "Range dropped 8%" — check if a known regression OTA landed
Logged software versions also let you advise customers when a pending OTA is worth installing vs delaying.
Step 5 — Customer report
The app generates an EV-specific service report PDF that mentions the things EV owners care about — battery SoH, software version, regen condition, 12V aux state — rather than a generic mechanical report with mostly N/A line items. Workshops who switched report templates saw the EV repeat-business rate climb 30-40%.
Tools you'll need
The app is software — it doesn't come with hardware. For full EV diagnostic capability you'll want:
- OBD2 dongle + EV-capable app — Carista or LeafSpy Pro for SoH on most makes ($30-$50 dongle + $10-$20 app)
- Tesla service mode — built into the car, requires the Tesla service unlock code
- Brand-specific tool — Polestar PVOS, MG iSmart Diag, BYD diagnostic tool for deeper work
- CCS2 charge-port inspection camera — borescope camera works ($40 from Bunnings)
- HV insulation tester — only needed if you're doing actual HV battery work (specialist territory)
Workshops doing surface-level EV service (battery SoH read, software check, mechanical wear) can do it with $100 of tools. Workshops doing HV battery work need $5K+ of specialist gear and a license.