Thinking that EV regenerative braking means you don’t have to focus on proper brake pad selection and maintenance would be a critical flaw in EV maintenance. While regenerative braking–an EV motor-driven speed reduction system–can save some wear and tear on the braking system, the threat to brake pads still remains. Here are the three reasons you need to focus on proper brake pad selection for electric vehicles.

1. Corrosion is still corrosion

Regardless of what type of vehicle you drive, corrosion still threatens to shorten brake pad life. Many brake pads feature painted parts in an attempt to protect against corrosion, but painted components can be easily chipped by road debris. Once chipped, corrosion eats its way into the brake pad and causes the friction material to flake away, increasing stopping distances and compromising the systems safe operation. 

2. What’s that noise?

EVs are quiet. It’s an immediate and welcome change once you start driving one. You never noticed how noisy your ICE vehicle was until you removed the engine. That said, you can now hear every squeak and rattle that the engine used to drown out. If you thought brake squeal from cheap brake pads was bad before, now it’s like a banshee screaming in your ear every time you apply the brakes.

3. If you’re going to go green, go all the way

One of the biggest EV selling points is a more positive impact on the environment compared to a conventional ICE vehicle. If you’re making the EV investment, you need to ensure that your brake pads are doing the same. Cheap brake pads are often made of materials that can harm the environment, especially as they chip away due to cheap painted parts protection and poor backing plate adhesion. 

What to look for in an EV brake pad

With those three things in mind, you want to make sure that your brake pad selection stays quiet, goes green and lives a long EV life. To check all three boxes, consider an NRS Galvanized Brake Pad. Crafted from galvanized steel for superior protection and durability, NRS Galvanized Brake Pads sport the NRS-patented mechanical design that protects from corrosion and ensures that the brake pad will not separate from the backing plate throughout the duration of its lifecycle. NRS Galvanized Brake Pads are also 100% recyclable and can be reclaimed for future use and utilize premium semi-metallic and copper-free and lead-free materials. 

To learn more about EV brake pad selection, visit NRSBrakes.com.