Detailing a Tesla or EV in Los Angeles: What's Different

Few places have more electric cars per street than Los Angeles. Teslas, Rivians, Polestars, Lucids, electric Hyundais and Fords — they're everywhere from Playa Vista to Brentwood. And their owners ask us the same question: does an EV need to be detailed differently?

Mostly, no. Paint is paint. But there are a few EV-specific things worth knowing.

Many owners find their EV's paint marks more easily than they expected. Whatever the reason for your specific car, the answer is the same: treat the paint gently.

• •No automatic brush washes — ever
• •Hand wash with the two-bucket method and a clean microfiber mitt
• •Dry with plush microfiber, not a chamois or old towels

If your EV already has swirl marks, they can be polished out, and a ceramic coating afterward is one of the best ways to protect softer paint from new ones.

Teslas have a Car Wash Mode in the vehicle settings. It closes the windows, locks the charge port, and disables automatic wipers and other features so nothing activates mid-wash. Turn it on before any wash. Other EVs have similar settings — check your manual, and at minimum turn off auto-wipers.

• •Keep high-pressure spray away from the charge port, door seals, and camera lenses
• •Clean cameras and sensors gently with a soft, damp microfiber — they're how many EVs see the road
• •Don't blast pressure washers at close range on trim, badges, or seals

Normal rain and a proper hand wash are fine. It's close-range high pressure you want to avoid.

Many EVs have huge glass roofs. They collect water spots, bird droppings, and tree sap, and because they're glass, spots etch in faster than people expect. Clean glass roofs with every wash, dry them completely, and treat the glass so water beads off.

EVs use regenerative braking, so many produce less brake dust than gas cars. But they're heavy, and their large, often aero-style wheels have lots of flat surfaces where dust and road grime show. Clean wheels with every wash and protect the faces so dirt rinses off. More in our brake dust guide.

Many EVs use synthetic or "vegan" leather and large white or light-colored seats. Light seats show denim dye transfer and dirt quickly.

• •Clean synthetic leather with a gentle, pH-balanced interior cleaner — no harsh degreasers
• •Treat light seats regularly so dye transfer doesn't set in
• •Clean touchscreens with a soft microfiber and a screen-safe cleaner — never spray liquid directly on the screen

EV owners are some of our most common ceramic coating clients, for good reason: the paint benefits from extra protection, glass roofs and large panels stay cleaner, and the car is often a long-term keeper. Coatings also make washing easier, which matters on a car that lives outside next to a charger.

We know EVs — Car Wash Mode, sensors, glass roofs, light interiors. Everything happens at your home or office, and we bring our own water and power. Book a detail or call (310) 692-4495.