BYD Servicing Costs in Australia for EVs and PHEVs Explained

Buying an electric car can remove petrol from your weekly budget, but it does not remove servicing altogether. BYD electric cars still require scheduled inspections, brake maintenance, tyres, filters, coolant and drivetrain fluids at specified intervals.

BYD plug-in hybrids have another layer of maintenance. Alongside the battery, electric motors and high-voltage components, they retain a petrol engine. That means engine oil, oil filters, fuel-system components, spark plugs and other combustion-related items remain part of the servicing schedule.

The difference becomes important when comparing models such as the electric BYD Seal and Sealion 7 with plug-in hybrids, including the Sealion 6 and Shark 6.

For Australian buyers trying to calculate long-term ownership costs, the first service price is therefore not enough. The better comparison is what each vehicle requires over several years, particularly when the more expensive 40,000km and 80,000km services arrive.

BYD Servicing Costs, the Quick Answer

BYD Australia’s current service guide specifies regular servicing for its battery-electric vehicles at 20,000 km or 12 months, whichever comes first.

At 40,000 km, additional maintenance includes brake-fluid replacement, differential and electric-drive fluid replacement, and a HEPA cabin filter. At 80,000km, coolant replacement is added to the scheduled work.

BYD DM plug-in hybrids have more maintenance requirements. Their schedule includes engine oil and filter replacement, while larger services add items including fuel-system filters, brake fluid, coolant, EHS oils and filters, spark plugs and cabin filtration.

Published Australian servicing prices have varied between models and over time, so the figures below are best used as an ownership comparison rather than a guaranteed current quote.

The important qualification is that servicing programmes can change. An older capped-price schedule found online should not automatically be treated as the price applying to a vehicle purchased or serviced today.

For that reason, Australian buyers should obtain the current service schedule and price for the exact BYD model and drivetrain they are considering. Related reading covers the cheapest electric cars in Australia, petrol versus hybrid versus electric running costs, hybrid and plug-in hybrid SUVs under $50,000, and cheapest cars to run.

How Often Does a BYD EV Need Servicing?

BYD Australia currently lists regular EV servicing at 12 months or 20,000 km, whichever comes first.

The published sequence continues through

• 20,000 km or 12 months

• 40,000 km or 24 months

• 60,000 km or 36 months

• 80,000 km or 48 months

• 100,000 km or 60 months

• 120,000 km or 72 months

A standard 20,000km service involves considerably more than plugging the vehicle into diagnostic equipment.

BYD specifies a comprehensive multipoint condition assessment, inspection of high-voltage wiring and components, inspection of the battery housing and mounting points, brake-system assessment, tyre rotation and condition reporting, suspension and steering checks, vehicle-system diagnostics, software analysis and an extended road test.

That explains why an electric car still requires regular workshop visits despite having fewer mechanical components than a petrol vehicle.

What Happens at a 40,000 km BYD EV Service?

The 40,000 km or 24-month service introduces several replacement items.

In addition to the regular inspection work, BYD specifies replacement of the brake fluid, differential and electric-drive fluid, plus the HEPA cabin filter.

This is one reason servicing costs can jump substantially between the first and second scheduled visits.

The same principle applies throughout the ownership period. A relatively inexpensive inspection service can be followed by a considerably more expensive major service because additional fluids and filters have reached their scheduled replacement point.

What Happens at the 80,000 km BYD EV Service?

The 80,000 km or four-year service is another major maintenance point.

BYD’s current schedule includes the normal multipoint inspections but adds brake-fluid replacement, coolant replacement, differential and electric-drive fluid replacement, and a new HEPA cabin filter.

The 100,000 km service returns to a more inspection-focused schedule, while additional fluids and the cabin filter become due again at 120,000 km.

BYD also notes that rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive vehicles require additional oils and filters. This means servicing costs can vary between drivetrains even when two vehicles belong to the same general EV range.

Australian buyers researching BYD electric SUVs can also compare the BYD Atto 3 and BYD Sealion 7 in AussieMotor’s new-car section.

How Is BYD Plug-in Hybrid Servicing Different?

BYD uses its DM technology across an expanding range of Australian plug-in hybrids.

Unlike a pure EV, a DM vehicle retains a petrol engine. This gives owners the ability to drive electrically for shorter journeys while retaining petrol-powered flexibility for longer trips, but it also means additional scheduled maintenance.

BYD’s Australian DM schedule includes an initial service with an engine oil and filter replacement plus software analysis.

The regular schedule then uses both overall vehicle kilometres and HEV kilometres.

For example, BYD currently lists the first regular interval as

20,000 km / 10,000 km HEV or 12 months

The next major interval is

40,000 km / 20,000 km HEV or 24 months

Owners therefore should not assume that predominantly electric driving allows the petrol-engine servicing requirements to be ignored.

What Does BYD Service on a PHEV?

At the regular DM service, BYD specifies engine oil and filter replacement alongside inspection of the high-voltage battery, brakes, tyres, suspension, and steering.

Vehicle health diagnostics, software analysis and a road test are also part of the maintenance program.

At 40,000km or 20,000km HEV, the service expands to include brake-fluid replacement, fuel-system filters and a HEPA cabin filter.

The 80,000 km or 40,000 km HEV service is substantially more involved. BYD lists engine oil and filter replacement, brake fluid, fuel-system filters, coolant, EHS oils and filters, spark plugs and the cabin filter, alongside the regular inspection work.

This additional combustion-engine maintenance is the fundamental reason a PHEV can cost more to service than a pure EV.

BYD Seal Servicing Costs

The BYD Seal provides a useful example of how EV servicing costs can vary considerably between individual visits.

Recent published Australian servicing figures have listed approximately

Across five years, that works out to an average of approximately $361 per year.However, the average hides the important part of the story.

The relatively inexpensive $165 services are separated by substantially more expensive major services. The 80,000km visit, for example, is much more expensive because additional scheduled maintenance items become due.

A buyer who looks only at the first advertised service could therefore underestimate the vehicle’s longer-term servicing cost.

BYD Sealion 7 Servicing Costs

Published Australian figures for the electric BYD Sealion 7 have put scheduled servicing at approximately $1,543 over five years or 100,000 km.

Spread evenly across five years, that is approximately $309 per year.

Again, owners do not necessarily pay the same amount each year. Major services cost more because fluids and filters are added to the normal inspections.

The drivetrain can also influence maintenance. BYD’s current service information specifically notes additional oils and filters for rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive vehicles.

That makes it important to compare the exact variant rather than assuming every BYD EV carries the same servicing cost.

BYD Sealion 6 Servicing Costs

The Sealion 6 is particularly useful for demonstrating why the date of a servicing price matters.

Earlier Australian published servicing information listed approximately

That earlier schedule produced a five-service total of approximately $1,648.

More recent Australian reporting for updated Sealion 6 servicing has referred to a substantially longer capped-price programme. Those newer figures should not be mixed with the earlier five-year schedule as though they represent one unchanged servicing plan.

For a new Sealion 6 purchased in 2026, buyers should request the current servicing schedule applying to the exact vehicle rather than relying on an older table found through a search engine.

AussieMotor readers considering the vehicle can also see the current BYD Sealion 6 model information in the new-car section. Also useful are our guides to Sealion 5 versus Sealion 6, Sealion 5, Seal 6, current BYD cashback offers, and Geely Starray EM-i versus Sealion 6.

BYD Shark 6 Servicing Costs

The Shark 6 provides an even clearer example of the additional servicing requirements associated with a BYD plug-in hybrid.

Recent published Australian figures have listed approximately

Across those first five scheduled services, the average is just under $498 per year.

The expensive 80,000 km service is particularly important for prospective owners.

program.BYD’s DM maintenance schedule shows why a major service can become expensive, several replacement items can coincide, including engine oil, brake fluid, fuel filters, coolant, EHS oils and filters, spark plugs, and cabin filtration.

That makes the Shark 6 a good example of why buyers should compare five-year servicing costs rather than focusing on a single annual visit.

BYD EV vs PHEV Maintenance Compared

The mechanical difference becomes clearer when the scheduled maintenance items are compared directly.

The important distinction is therefore not that an EV requires no maintenance.

Instead, an EV eliminates an entire group of servicing requirements associated with the internal-combustion engine.

A plug-in hybrid keeps many of the inspections required by an electrified vehicle while adding the maintenance requirements of a petrol engine.

Does Driving a BYD PHEV Mostly on Electricity Reduce Servicing?

Using a PHEV primarily in EV mode can reduce petrol consumption and engine running time, but owners should not assume that this removes scheduled engine maintenance.

BYD’s current Australian DM servicing information specifically includes engine oil and filter changes and uses HEV-distance triggers alongside total kilometres and time.

That means the maintenance schedule needs to be followed according to the vehicle’s requirements, even if much of the owner’s weekly driving is completed using battery power.

This is particularly relevant to Sealion 6 and Shark 6 owners who regularly charge at home and may use the petrol engine relatively infrequently.

Does Regenerative Braking Mean BYD Brakes Last Forever?

No.

Regenerative braking allows an electric motor to slow the vehicle while recovering energy, reducing reliance on conventional friction brakes in many driving situations.

That can reduce brake-pad and disc wear, particularly in urban driving.

However, BYD still specifies brake-system wear and function assessments as part of scheduled EV and DM servicing.

Brake fluid also requires periodic replacement.

Low use does not make conventional brakes maintenance-free either. Components can still deteriorate with age, moisture, corrosion and environmental exposure.

Regenerative braking should therefore be considered a way of potentially reducing friction-brake wear, not a substitute for brake maintenance.

What About Tyres?

Tyres can become a significant ownership expense that is not visible in capped-price servicing totals.

BYD includes tyre-pressure equalisation, rotation and wear-and-condition reporting within its regular service schedule.

Replacing worn tyres, however, is a separate expense.

Electric vehicles can be relatively heavy because of their traction batteries, while high-output electric motors deliver immediate torque. Wheel size, tyre specification, driving style, road conditions and wheel alignment can all influence tyre life.

For that reason, the scheduled servicing total should never be treated as the complete maintenance cost of a BYD.

Replacement tyres, wheel alignment, wiper blades, accident damage and unscheduled repairs can sit outside the advertised servicing program.

BYD Warranty in Australia

BYD Australia currently advertises a six-year/150,000km vehicle warranty, whichever comes first.

The traction battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty, whichever comes first.

Terms, conditions and exclusions apply, so buyers should read the actual warranty documentation rather than assuming every component receives identical coverage for the entire headline warranty period.

BYD’s warranty documentation also emphasises the importance of performing routine maintenance according to the schedule specified for the vehicle and retaining records relating to maintenance and repairs.

BYD Roadside Assistance

BYD Australia states that vehicles delivered on or after 22 July 2025 receive 12 months of complimentary roadside assistance from the delivery date.

Vehicles delivered before that date retain their existing complimentary 12-month roadside assistance, while existing extended roadside-assistance contracts remain honoured according to BYD’s published information.

This should be considered separately from scheduled servicing costs because roadside assistance is an ownership-support program rather than a scheduled maintenance item.

Do You Have to Service a BYD at a BYD Dealer?

Owners should be careful with blanket claims that a new vehicle must always be returned to the selling dealer for every service.

BYD’s warranty documentation says routine maintenance should be carried out by a service provider with the capability, expertise, tools and supplies appropriate for the vehicle and according to the maintenance schedule.

Detailed service and repair records should be retained.

For an EV or PHEV, workshop capability is particularly important because the vehicle contains high-voltage electrical systems requiring suitable equipment, procedures and technical knowledge.

Choosing a workshop should therefore involve more than simply finding the cheapest advertised oil or inspection service.

Is Capped-price Servicing the Total Cost of Maintaining a BYD?

No.

Scheduled or capped-price servicing covers specified maintenance under the applicable program and conditions.

It does not necessarily include every expense incurred while owning the vehicle.

Depending on the circumstances, additional expenses can include

• replacement tyres

• wheel alignment

• wiper blades

• accident damage

• damage caused by road hazards

• wear items outside the servicing program

• repairs outside warranty

• maintenance arising from abnormal or severe operating conditions

A proper ownership-cost comparison should therefore separate scheduled servicing from tyres, insurance, registration, charging, petrol and depreciation.

For a broader benchmark, see AussieMotor’s How Much Does a Car Service Cost in Australia (2026 Price Guide).

That guide examines servicing expenses across the wider Australian market, while this article focuses specifically on BYD EV and PHEV maintenance.

BYD Shark 6 Recall, What Owners Should Know

Safety recalls should not be confused with scheduled servicing.

A recall repair is carried out to address a particular safety or compliance issue and is separate from the normal maintenance program.

In September 2026, an Australian recall was published for certain BYD Shark 6 vehicles concerning the spare-wheel support arrangement.

Affected owners should check their vehicle against the official Australian Government Vehicle Recalls database and follow the rectification instructions applying to their vehicle.

Recall rectification for an affected vehicle is carried out without charge to the owner.

The cost should therefore not be added to the Shark 6 scheduled servicing figures discussed in this article. See also our BYD Shark 6 recall guide, public charging network changes, and electric cars outselling petrol.

Are BYD EVs Cheaper to Service Than BYD PHEVs?

Using the comparable published Australian examples available, the pure EV models generally come out cheaper.

The Sealion 7’s published five-year figure of approximately $1,543 is about $946 below the Shark 6’s approximately $2,489 five-service total.

The Seal's approximately $1,805 published five-year figure is also lower than the Shark 6 total.

That does not mean every BYD EV will automatically be cheaper to maintain than every BYD PHEV.

Different vehicles have different drivetrains, service requirements and capped-price programs, while servicing prices can change during a model’s life.

The more useful conclusion is that a battery-electric BYD removes recurring petrol-engine maintenance items such as engine oil, oil filters, fuel-system filters and spark plugs.

A PHEV retains those items alongside much of the maintenance required by its electrified drivetrain.

What Should You Check Before Buying a BYD?

Before ordering a BYD, request the current servicing schedule for the exact model and variant you intend to buy.

Do not base your ownership budget only on the first service.

Look at the 40,000km, 80,000km and other major intervals because these are where additional fluids, filters and components can significantly increase the bill.

For an AWD model, check whether extra drivetrain fluids or filters apply.

You should also confirm exactly what a quoted service price includes and whether any additional workshop charges or model-specific maintenance items can apply.

Finally, read the current warranty documentation and check the Australian Government recall database for the exact vehicle.

A cheap first service is useful, but it does not tell you what the vehicle will cost to maintain over five or more years.

BYD EV or PHEV, Which Has the Simpler Service Schedule?

A pure electric BYD has the simpler mechanical maintenance schedule because there is no petrol engine.

That removes engine oil changes, oil filters, fuel filters, spark plugs and other combustion-engine maintenance.

The vehicle still needs scheduled inspections, brakes, tyres, filters, cooling-system maintenance and drivetrain fluids.

A BYD DM plug-in hybrid adds petrol-engine servicing to many of those electrified-vehicle requirements.

For someone who can charge regularly and does not need the long-distance flexibility of a petrol engine, an EV therefore has a servicing simplicity advantage.

For drivers who value the ability to travel long distances without relying entirely on charging infrastructure, a PHEV can provide additional flexibility, but that flexibility comes with a more complex maintenance schedule.

The right comparison is therefore not simply “EV servicing is cheap”.

Australian buyers should compare the exact vehicle, drivetrain, annual kilometres and several years of scheduled maintenance before calculating the ownership cost. Browse other current BYD models such as the Atto 1, Atto 2, Atto 2 DM-i, Atto 3 Evo, Dolphin, Sealion 8, and M9 on AussieMotor. Further reading includes Atto 1 versus Atto 2, Atto 2 DM-i, M9 plug-in hybrid pricing, Tesla and Polestar EV sales, Tesla Model 3 pricing, Model Y Performance pricing, and range extender versus plug-in hybrid. Also see cheapest family cars to run, on-road costs versus list price, XPENG L03 pricing, Nissan Ariya drive-away offer, average new-car prices by brand, and plug-in hybrids without charging.