As EVs continue to capture public interest, many questions boggle people's minds concerning this car type. Here are two out of many FAQs: Does the regular road assistance cover EV breakdown? Do EVs also get towed when they break down or run out of charge?
You see, electric cars are reliable, no arguments about that. However, it is not unusual for their parts to fail. If you own one, you might have noticed that the plug flaps will sometimes refuse to open, cables can disconnect or may not fit into the charge points at all. Gear levers may also fail to shift.
EVs also share some common faults with fossil-fuel-powered vehicles. They’re not exempt from flat tyre woes. When any of these happen while you're driving, you'll need the services of car roadside assistants. This is why the question "Does the regular roadside assistance cover EV breakdown?" is essential. Let's find out!
Does the Regular Road Assistance Cover EV Breakdown?
The truth is that most modern cars roaming the streets today are way too complicated for the average roadside assistant to handle. For accurate detection and fixing of faults, an EV needs a qualified computer person. So while you can call roadside assistance for help, they can only do one thing: tow your vehicle to the nearest specialist's workshop. Regular roadside vehicle assistants neither have the specific knowledge about EVs nor the tools needed to diagnose and fix whatever may be faulty in your car.
That said, you might want to know that when you've just bought an EV, it'll come with a breakdown EV road assistance package. As the name implies, it is a sort of a rescue mission arrangement to help you when your electric car breaks down.
Electric vehicles made by Nissan, for instance, have a package called Nissan EV Pan-European Roadside Assistance. This plan covers one-year free assistance for any form of breakdown, after which you'll also enjoy subsidised payments for a defined period. Likewise, old EVs also enjoy general roadside assistance packages.
Do EVs Also Get Towed When They Break Down or Run Out of Charge?
An EV's driving range is limited, and charging stations for charging EV batteries are scarce. As such, if your EV ever runs out of juice and breaks down on the road, it needs to get towed to the nearest servicing shop. Period.
With continually advancing technologies, electric cars can go as far as 600 km before they run out of charge (though this depends on the car brand and battery capacity.) This is unlike older models that struggled to do 300 km before their next charging point. Even so, electric vehicles still need to be charged often to prevent their batteries from getting low.
These cars come with range indicators that help you know how far the battery can take you before you charge it. The indicators will help you keep track of how much power you have left and let you know when you need to charge. This feature will help you avoid draining or overcharging your battery. Either of the two will deteriorate and weaken your battery in the long run.
On the rare occasion that you do run out of battery power, you'll need to contact your EV roadside assistance or breakdown provider and request a flatbed truck to take you to the nearest charging station.
Keep in mind that towing an EV is a little bit more complicated than pulling conventional ICE cars. When pulling an EV, the front and back wheels should not touch the ground. They should be lifted totally off the floor to the back of the flatbed tow truck. Dragging your EV with the wheels on the floor would damage the car.
Conclusion
EVs do get towed when they break down or run out of charge. However, not all breakdowns require towing or calling a specialist. There are some minor breakdowns that you should be able to fix yourself, like flat tyre breakdowns. For starters, make sure you have spare tyres at all times. This way, when you are stranded, you'll be able to at least do some fixings by yourself.
It's good vehicle maintenance practice to carry extra water, extra oil, adaptors, and some charging leads in your car. They could be life-saving items during an emergency. Don’t hit the road without bringing your tools, emergency items, and spare parts that often need replacing.
Visit Carpart.com.au for guides and tips to car owners. This website also happens to be your quickest ticket to finding car parts wherever you are in Australia. Familiarise with the Request-a-Part tool—you’ll only need to fill out one short request form and we’ll do the searching!
By Damilare Olasinde