While it is possible to run out of charge in an electric vehicle (EV), today's EVs give drivers plenty of warning when this is about to happen. Although depleting your EV's battery and running out of gas are both inconvenient, a depleted EV battery poses little risk of damaging the EV itself.
This article explains what happens when an EV runs out of power and what to do if you find yourself in this situation.
It is much more difficult to accidentally run out of energy in an EV than in a fossil-fuel vehicle. Both have gauges that tell drivers how much gas or electricity remains. But if they ignore the gauges, there are differences between them. Gas cars let the driver know they're running low on fuel by issuing a visual alert on the instrument display (and perhaps sounding a chime). At the same time, EVs provide multiple visual and audio warnings as the battery starts to run down. Some EVs will also display messages on the navigation screen suggesting the driver go to a nearby charging station before the battery loses its entire charge.
If you ignore the extra warnings issued by an electric vehicle compared to gas cars, you can completely drain the battery in an EV before you expect to. While electric cars display the estimated remaining driving range, they calculate the distance using information related to how you are driving. Because driving styles or conditions can vary, the indicated range remaining might not be accurate.
For example, if you're 20 miles away from home with 30 miles of remaining range showing, but you need to climb a mountain grade before you reach your garage and home charging station, you're gambling. That's because the hill climb consumes more battery power than cruising on flat ground.
If you run out of battery power, there is less of a chance you'll damage your EV's powertrain than if you were to starve an internal combustion engine of fuel. For instance, EVs don't have a fuel pump or fuel filter that can be damaged by running the engine with an empty fuel tank. An EV will simply slow down and, eventually, completely shut down.
To preserve EV battery health, it is best to avoid letting the EV’s battery drop below a 20% battery charge. Fully draining your EV to 0% charge is not recommended and also impacts the 12-volt battery which starts the vehicle and powers electronic accessories. Losing the functionality of the 12-volt battery can make it tricky to open and close electronically controlled items like the charge port. As a result, you may find yourself locked out of crucial components when you need them most.
Beyond possibly having to replace your 12-volt battery, it takes a very long time to charge an EV from 0%.
Most EVs send numerous warnings to alert the driver that the vehicle is nearly out of charge. The alerts typically appear on the infotainment screen and gauge cluster. These low mileage range warnings are often more noticeable and frequent than those provided on an internal combustion engine vehicle when gas is running low. It is hard to avoid the warnings and not react by immediately heading towards a charger.
In addition to warnings urging drivers to find a charger as soon as possible, the vehicle eventually goes into “turtle mode”, which is a low-power mode that uses minimal power to keep the vehicle operational so you can reach a charger, or at least safely pull over to where a tow truck can access the vehicle.
When turtle mode activates, it often appears as a turtle icon on the dash screen. During turtle mode, the car’s computer may restrict acceleration to preserve as much energy as possible. While it’s best to avoid “turtle mode” in the first place, it grants you the ability to navigate off a busy street or safely park the vehicle on the side of the road.
A tow truck can rescue an EV stuck on the side of the road the same way it can for a gas-powered car. However, before you call roadside assistance, it is worth trying to turn the EV off and back on if you're close to a charging station. After shutdown and restart, some EVs can drive an additional mile or two, but this is not guaranteed to work for every model.
Some roadside assistance companies have trucks with mobile charging options that can charge your EV where it comes to a rest, but they are rare. The American Automobile Association (AAA) tested a small fleet of these trucks for about a decade but found that EV drivers paid more attention to their remaining range than drivers of gas cars and rarely needed the service. Instead, AAA and other roadside assistance operators will now just tow a dead EV to a nearby charger.
When towing an EV, it is vital to remember that the car's motors generate power as the wheels spin. This can cause problems with excess heat or fire, so an EV's wheels should not move when towed. Similarly, you should never pull an EV with a rope. Towing an EV requires a flatbed truck or hooking the car up with the front wheels in the air and the rear wheels on a dolly.
EVs are difficult to move without any charge in the battery, but you can still push them. EVs don't feature a standard transmission, but you can shift most into "neutral" when the main battery is out of energy because the power for this action comes from a separate 12-volt battery. Depending on the car's power usage while waiting for a tow, such as using the hazard lights, you may need to jump the 12-volt battery even after you charge the EV's primary battery. The official roadside assistance service that comes with Ford's new EVs will jump the 12-volt battery if needed.
Some EVs will have quirks to consider during the towing process. The Volkswagen ID.4, for example, requires someone to sit in the driver's seat while the car is in "neutral," otherwise, it will shift back into Park. Tesla EVs have a "Transport Mode" that allows the wheels to slowly spin so you can maneuver the car up to around 25 feet onto a flatbed truck.
Depending on where the tow truck takes you and your next destination, the wait after running out of energy could last from a few minutes to a few hours. Just plug in, confirm that energy is flowing into the battery pack, and wait for your vehicle to charge. If charging doesn't start, the next step would be to contact the emergency assistance services listed in the owner's manual.
EVs give drivers multiple warnings that their car is running out of energy. If you ignore these alerts, your EV will slow down and, finally, come to a complete stop. Calling a tow truck is a good solution if you keep a few things in mind (like keeping the wheels from spinning during the tow). Once you're at a station, you'll be on your way again as soon as your EV has the chance to charge up.
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