EV Crate Blog — Service Guides, DIY, Comparisons

Service guides, maintenance schedules, DIY repairs, and brand comparisons for Chinese EVs and hybrids.

• Chinese EVs vs Tesla — Real Cost of Ownership in Europe (5-Year Comparison) — Tesla isn't the cheapest EV to own anymore. Here's the real 5-year cost-of-ownership comparison between Chinese EVs and Tesla Model 3/Y i…
• Top 10 Most Common Chinese EV Problems and How to Fix Them — Across BYD, NIO, Geely, MG, XPeng and Haval, the same 10 problems account for 80% of warranty and post-warranty complaints. Here's each o…
• Are Chinese EV Batteries Really Reliable? 5 Years of Real-World Data — Are Chinese EV batteries really worse? After 5 years of European ownership data, the answer is more nuanced — and in some cases, Chinese …
• Importing Chinese EV Parts to Europe — Complete 2026 Guide — A practical 2026 guide for importing Chinese EV spare parts to Europe — covering customs, VAT, dangerous-goods rules for HV components, s…
• How to Read a Chinese VIN Number — Complete Decoder Guide for BYD, Geely, NIO, MG, XPeng — Chinese VINs don't follow the same conventions as European ones. Here's the complete decoder — position by position, manufacturer by manu…
• Best Chinese EV Brands in Europe 2026 — A Buyer's Guide — Which Chinese EV brand should you actually buy in Europe? This is a ranked, opinionated guide based on 2026 reliability data, parts avail…
• How to Maintain a Chinese EV in Europe — Service Intervals, Parts, Warranty Reality — If you bought a BYD, Geely, NIO, MG, XPeng or any Chinese EV in Europe, here's what nobody tells you about keeping it running — service i…
• Are Chinese EV Spare Parts Hard to Find in Europe? The 2026 Reality — The most common worry among Chinese EV buyers in Europe is parts availability. Here's the actual 2026 picture — brand by brand, part cate…
• Geely Coolray Oil Change Guide — Capacity, Oil Type, Filter, and Interval — The Geely Coolray (also sold as Geely SX11, Proton X50, or Binyue) is one of the most widely exported Chinese SUVs. Uses Geely's BMA plat…
• Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Oil Change — Capacity, Type, Filter, and Interval — Complete oil change guide for the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro — capacity, viscosity, filter cross-references, interval, and differences for the PHE…
• BYD Atto 3 Service Intervals — What to Replace and When — Complete BYD Atto 3 service schedule by year and mileage — what BYD officially recommends, what experienced workshops add, and what you c…
• Haval Jolion Maintenance Schedule — Service Intervals, Parts & Costs — Complete Haval Jolion service schedule, service intervals, part specs and costs by year — for both the 1.5T petrol and HEV hybrid variants.
• MG ZS EV Brake Pad Replacement — When, Why, and How — Complete MG ZS EV brake pad replacement guide — when to replace, OE part numbers, tier-1 aftermarket equivalents, step-by-step procedure,…
• ORA Funky Cat Service Intervals — Maintenance Schedule and Parts — The ORA Funky Cat (Good Cat) is GWM's retro-styled electric hatchback. Single-motor FWD, LFP battery, single cooling loop — simpler than …
• Voyah Free vs Li Auto L8 — Chinese Luxury Hybrid Showdown — Voyah Free and Li Auto L8 are two top Chinese luxury hybrid SUVs. Same segment, very different platforms and ownership economics.
• Deepal S7 Service Schedule — EV and EREV Variants Covered — Deepal S7 comes in two flavours: pure EV and EREV (range-extended). Service schedules differ — EV is simpler and cheaper.
• Xiaomi SU7 Service Intervals at a Glance — Quick Answer — Short answer: Xiaomi SU7 routine service every 12 months / 20,000 km. Cabin filter and 12V are the only things you'll touch in year 1. Tw…
• Tank 300 PHEV Off-Road Maintenance — Service Guide for Heavy Use — The Tank 300 PHEV is GWM's serious off-roader — ladder frame, three diff/transfer cases, hybrid 1.5T. Off-road use changes the maintenanc…
• Smart #1 Common Problems and Fixes — Owner-Reported Issues — The Smart #1 (Geely-built, Mercedes-designed) has had a complicated debut in EU. Mechanical platform is sound; infotainment + 12V are the…
• Chery Tiggo 8 Pro PHEV Maintenance Schedule — Service Intervals, Parts, Costs — The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro PHEV (also sold as DM-i) is one of Chery's most popular plug-in hybrids — a seven-seat SUV running a 1.5T Atkinson …
• XPeng G6 Common Problems and Fixes — Owner Issues, Symptoms, and Repair Costs — The XPeng G6 is one of the most software-defined EVs out of China — an 800V platform crossover with aggressive ADAS. Mechanically sound, …
• BYD Seal Service Intervals — Full Schedule, Parts, and Costs — The BYD Seal is BYD's mid-size electric sedan — built on e-Platform 3.0, sharing the Blade Battery and cell-to-body construction. Mechani…
• NIO ES6 12V Battery Replacement — DIY Guide With Step-by-Step Procedure — The NIO ES6 is one of the most software-heavy EVs on the road, and that's exactly why its 12V auxiliary battery — a small AGM unit comple…
• BYD Dolphin Tyre Size and Pressure — Quick Reference by Trim — Short answer: 195/60 R16 or 205/50 R17 depending on trim, cold pressures of 2.4 bar (35 psi) all round for normal load. Always check the …
• MG4 EV Service Schedule — Intervals, Parts, and Cost by Year — The MG4 EV is one of the best-selling Chinese-engineered EVs in Europe and Australia, RWD on SAIC's MSP platform. Real service schedule a…
• Lynk & Co 01 PHEV Oil Change DIY — Step-by-Step Guide — The Lynk & Co 01 PHEV is a Geely CMA-platform crossover that shares most engineering with Volvo XC40, including the 1.5T three-cylinder p…
• Haval H6 PHEV Maintenance Guide — Service Intervals, Parts and Costs — The Haval H6 PHEV is GWM's mid-size hybrid SUV on the Lemon Hybrid DHT platform. 1.5T Atkinson engine plus 2-speed DHT and ~34 kWh batter…
• NIO ET5 Cabin Filter Replacement — DIY Step-by-Step Guide — The NIO ET5 cabin filter is the most-replaced part on the car — and the most-skipped. Replacing it takes 15 minutes once you know where i…
• Wey Coffee 01 PHEV Service Intervals — Full Hi4-T Schedule — The Wey Coffee 01 PHEV is GWM's premium-positioned hybrid SUV — platform-mate of the Haval H6 PHEV but with luxury trim. Same Hi4-T power…
• Zeekr 001 vs Tesla Model S — 5-Year Cost of Ownership Compared — The Zeekr 001 is the cleanest direct alternative to the Tesla Model S outside Lucid territory: similar 100 kWh battery, similar performan…
• XPeng P7 Service Schedule — Full Maintenance Guide for the EV Sedan — The XPeng P7 (G3 platform sedan, predecessor to the P7+) is XPeng's most-mature EV. Maintenance schedule is straightforward but has a few…
• Omoda 5 EV Common Problems and Fixes — What Owners Report — The Omoda 5 EV (Chery's globally-marketed compact electric crossover) has had a rocky first 18 months in EU, UK, and Australia. Mechanica…
• Geely Galaxy L7 vs Haval H6 PHEV — Comparison and Maintenance Cost — The Geely Galaxy L7 and Haval H6 PHEV are the two most-cross-shopped Chinese mid-size hybrid SUVs in EU/CIS markets. Both 1.5T Atkinson p…
• Haval Jolion Oil Capacity and Type — Quick Answer — Short answer: Haval Jolion 1.5T petrol takes 4.0 L of 5W-30 full synthetic. Jolion HEV takes 3.6 L of 0W-20. Service every 10,000 km / 12…
• BYD Han EV Common Problems — Air Suspension, 12V Drain, Bushing Wear — The BYD Han EV is BYD's flagship sedan, sold globally since 2020. Five years of field data shows seven recurring issues — mostly cheap to…
• MG Marvel R Brake Fluid Change — DIY Step-by-Step Bleed Procedure — MG Marvel R brake fluid change is a 90-minute DIY if you have a pressure bleeder. Done right, saves €120-180 vs workshop. The bleed seque…
• Avatr 11 vs NIO ES7 — 3-Year Maintenance Cost Comparison — Avatr 11 and NIO ES7 are the two most cross-shopped Chinese premium electric SUVs. Same segment, very different ownership economics.
• Polestar 2 Wiper Blade Replacement — DIY With Sizes and Procedure — Polestar 2 wipers: 650 mm driver, 475 mm passenger, 305 mm rear. Bayonet attachment. Service position via screen menu. 10-min DIY.
• Li Auto L7 EREV Maintenance Schedule — Service Guide — The Li Auto L7 is an EREV (Extended-Range EV) — it drives like an EV but has a small petrol generator on board. Maintenance is hybrid of …
• BYD Seagull Tyre Rotation and Pressure — Patterns, Specs, Procedure — BYD Seagull tyre rotation: cross pattern for the FWD electric. Pressures: 2.4 bar all round normal load, 2.6/2.7 bar full load. 105 Nm wh…
• GAC Aion Y Plus Maintenance Schedule — Full EV Service Profile — The GAC Aion Y Plus is GAC's compact electric crossover, popular in tropical and Latin American markets. Single-cooling-loop architecture…
• Jaecoo 7 PHEV Service Intervals — Maintenance Schedule and Costs — The Jaecoo 7 PHEV (Chery's premium SUV brand) shares the DM-i platform with the Tiggo 7 Pro PHEV. Same powertrain, slightly different ser…