As of: February 3, 2024, 2:29 p.m
By: Sebastian Oppenheimer
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If your electric car breaks down, you should definitely not just tow it away yourself.
Because not every model allows this at all - or only under certain conditions.
It's a horror idea for many drivers: in the middle of the journey, the car cuts out and stops - or it doesn't start at all in the morning.
Of course, this can happen not only to owners of combustion vehicles, but also to electric car drivers.
Recently, for example, numerous Tesla drivers were stranded at charging stations in and around Chicago in extreme cold.
If nothing else works, electric cars also have to be towed away.
But be careful: This is not possible with every Stromer without professional help - and there are a lot of other things to consider too.
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If in doubt, it is better to hire a professional towing service
In general, caution is advised when towing a car.
The
Auto Club Europa (ACE)
generally advises against towing cars with automatic transmissions, hybrid vehicles or electric cars yourself.
All of these types of vehicles can be damaged if their wheels are not driven by the engine, but by being pulled by another vehicle.
So if you are unsure, it is better to hire a professional towing service.
Not every electric car can be towed - some only under special conditions
When it comes to electric cars, the
ADAC
recommends that you first take a look at the car's operating instructions.
According to the automobile club, there are electric cars that you are not allowed to tow under any circumstances - such as the BMW iX1.
These vehicles must be transported in a truck bed or trailer.
For other electric cars, certain requirements must be met.
According to
ADAC
, VW electric cars, for example, may only be towed if the following three criteria are met:
It cannot be an all-wheel drive model
The power supply to the 12-volt network must be ensured
The transmission must be able to be shifted into neutral
Towing an electric car yourself – why there is a risk of expensive damage
But why is towing an electric car so critical?
As soon as an electric car is towed - and is not in an appropriate mode - it can happen that the electric motors generate electricity uncontrollably through the rotating wheels.
Electric motors can also function as generators - this principle is also used to recover braking energy (recuperation).
A while ago a YouTuber showed that you could charge a Tesla by towing it.
But this is anything but recommended – just like “normal” towing of electric cars.
As soon as electricity is generated and the on-board system no longer works, the car can suffer serious damage.
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If in doubt, it is better to have your electric car removed by a professional towing service.
(Symbolic image) © Pond5 Images/Imago
You should only tow an electric car yourself if you know what you are doing - and have first read the operating instructions carefully to find out how to proceed with the model in question.