Why Can’t You Tow an Electric Car: Including Other Solutions

It’s no secret that electric vehicles (EVs) are on the rise. In 2022, the sales of electric cars rose by 75% and show no signs of slowing. EV owners in need of roadside assistance want to choose a company that can cater to their specific needs. Recent innovations, like SparkCharge’s Roadie Portable, give car towing companies more options when it comes to servicing electric vehicles.

More than 65% of EV breakdowns are because the vehicle runs out of battery  Whether the EV owner is on the side of the road or in a parking spot, there are very limited solutions. Right now, most roadside companies would have to have it towed, but towing an EV comes with a variety of problems. 

Gas-powered car towing methods are very risky for electric vehicles and can cause serious damage to the car. 

Why Can’t You Tow An Electric Car?

Using a hook and chain truck, dolly, or wheel lift tow truck leaves two of the EV’s wheels spinning. When an EV’s wheels spin, they continuously generate power to the battery. If that power is not being used it can damage the battery and motor. In order to safely tow an electric vehicle, you must use a flatbed tow truck. 

If you do not have a flatbed tow truck in your fleet, you will be unable to service electric vehicles. Adding a flatbed tow truck to your roadside service fleet can cost up to $130,000. SparkCharge offers quick, easy, and cost effective solutions for servicing out of charge EVs. This helps roadside and towing companies keep up with the EV revolution. 

How To Service Dead EVs Without Towing Them

The Roadie, by SparkCharge, is the world’s first mobile EV charger. The batteries are small enough to fit in any sized vehicle which helps reduce the demand on your tow truck fleet. The modular design of The Roadie allows you to tailor the amount of charge delivered to EVs. 

SparkCharge offers unique packages for roadside assistance companies so they can add electric vehicle services to their list of offerings. The “Electric Jerry Can” package is 2 Roadie batteries and 1 charger. This package delivers about 30 miles to the EV so the driver can get home or to the nearest charging station without having to tow their vehicle. 

The Roadie Portable allows roadside and towing companies to keep up with growing EV demands while maximizing time and costs. Electric-powered vehicle owners will feel comfortable choosing a provider that knows how to properly service their car.