Electric car broken down or out of charge? What to do
Out of charge, dark screens or a warning on the dash. What to check first, what’s safe to try, and why an electric car has to travel on a flatbed.
Electric cars have fewer moving parts than petrol and diesel cars, but they still break down, and the problems are different. The good news: the most common one is easy to fix.
First, which battery is it?
An electric car has two batteries:
- The main drive battery, the big one under the floor that powers the motor and gives the car its range.
- A small 12-volt battery, like the one in a petrol car, that powers the screens, locks, lights and computers, and wakes up the main battery when you switch on.
If the screens are dark, the doors won’t unlock with the fob and nothing happens when you press start, the 12-volt battery is almost always to blame, even if the main battery is full. It’s the most common reason an electric car “breaks down”. A jump start to the 12-volt battery, following the maker’s procedure, often gets the car going in minutes.
If the screens work but the car won’t drive, or it shows a warning about the drive system, it’s more likely to be a fault in the main battery, motor or software, and the car will need to go to a dealer or EV specialist.
If you’re running out of charge
Electric cars give plenty of warning. As the battery gets low, most will show alerts, then limit power to stretch the last few miles. When that happens:
- Head for the nearest charger now, not the one you’d prefer. Apps such as Zapmap show chargers near you and whether they’re working.
- Slow down and turn off the heating or air conditioning. Both make a real difference to the last few miles.
- If it’s going to stop, choose where. Pull into a side street, a car park or the hard shoulder while you still have power, rather than stopping in a live lane.
- Don’t count on 0%. Some cars keep a small reserve below zero, but you can’t know how much.
Cold weather cuts range noticeably, especially on short trips with the heating on, so allow more margin in winter.
Why an electric car must never be towed on its wheels
In an electric car the motor is permanently connected to the wheels. If the wheels turn, the motor turns, and it works as a generator. Tow an EV with its driven wheels on the road and you can damage the motor, the power electronics or the battery system: expensive repairs that aren’t always covered by the warranty.
That’s why almost every manufacturer says an electric car must be carried with all four wheels off the ground. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids are the same. If anyone offers to tow your EV with a rope, a bar or a lifting frame, say no.
Transport mode and the parking brake
To roll an electric car onto a recovery truck, its parking brake has to be released, and that needs power. Many cars have a transport, tow or neutral mode in the settings for exactly this. If the 12-volt battery is completely dead, the car may not let you select it. A recovery operator can then use skates, small wheeled dollies under each wheel, to move the car without forcing anything.
After a collision
Damage to a drive battery isn’t always visible. If you see smoke, hear hissing or popping, or feel heat from under the car, get everyone well away and call 999. Battery fires need the fire service. Otherwise, a crash-damaged electric car can be recovered like any other, on a flatbed.
Getting your car recovered
When you call us, tell us the make and model, how much charge it shows (if any), whether the screens work, and where you’d like it to go: a working rapid charger, your home charger, or a dealer. We’ll bring it on the flatbed. See electric car recovery for more.