EV service pack: setup and workflow

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

1. Open App Marketplace
2. Find EV Service Specialisation Pack under Automotive. The current price and trial are on the EV Service Specialisation Pack app page
3. 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.