The short answer
Tow an electric car on a flatbed with all four wheels off the ground. Don't let anyone tow it with two wheels on the road or with a wheel lift unless your owner's manual says it is allowed. If the car only ran out of charge, a mobile charge is usually faster and cheaper than a tow.
Why EVs need a flatbed
- Motors are linked to the wheels. When the wheels turn, the motor can spin and generate current. Most EV makers warn this can damage the drive unit or inverter.
- Weight. A battery pack makes many EVs 1,000 lbs or more heavier than a similar gas car. The truck has to be rated for it.
- Low battery underbody. The pack sits under the floor. Lifting or strapping in the wrong place can damage it, so straps go on the wheels and lift points the manufacturer specifies.
- All-wheel drive. Many EVs have a motor on each axle, so there is no "safe" pair of wheels to leave on the road.
Transport mode and the parking lock
EVs do not have a mechanical neutral like older cars. Most have a transport mode or tow mode in the touchscreen menu that keeps the parking brake released so the car can roll onto a flatbed. Your owner's manual or the car's app tells you how to switch it on.
If the car is completely dead, the screen will not work, and the parking lock stays on. That is usually a 12V battery problem, not the main battery. Our driver boosts the 12V system, puts the car in transport mode, and then loads it. If it still won't release, the car is loaded with wheel skates.
When you don't need a tow
- Ran out of charge: a mobile charge for $175 adds enough range to reach a charging station. We support J1772, CCS and Tesla/NACS.
- Car won't wake up, screen is black: often a dead 12V battery. A jump start ($140) to the 12V terminals usually fixes it. Never try to jump the high-voltage battery.
- Flat tire: many EVs have no spare. A tire service (from $130) can fit your spare or inflate the tire; if that's not possible we tow you to a tire shop.
- Locked out with a dead phone key: a lockout service ($140) or your key card usually gets you in.
When an EV does need a tow
After a collision, a warning about the high-voltage system, a failed charge port, or damage underneath the car, it should go to an EV-certified shop or dealer on a flatbed. A 15-mile tow costs $300 at our published rate. Tell the dispatcher the make, model and what the dash says, and we send the right truck.
Fleets with electric vehicles
Delivery, rideshare and company fleets that run EVs can set up account billing, mobile charging on site and flatbed recovery from one dispatcher. See EV fleet services.