What Happens if my EV Runs Out of Battery?
If your luxury electric vehicle runs out of battery while on the road, you have a couple of options. You can call for roadside assistance to help, or you may charge your EV using a portable charger. If your LEV battery stops working completely, your manufacturer may replace it as long as your battery warranty has not expired. At Ray Catena Auto Group, our expert staff will help you understand how you can expect your LEV’s battery to perform and answer all of your other questions about this exciting new automotive category.
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What is Range Anxiety?
Range anxiety is one of the most common fears preventing drivers from switching over to electric vehicles. This refers to the fear drivers have about their EV’s battery running out of charge while on the road. While this is not a common problem, it could happen. Just as a traditional gas car might run out of fuel, a luxury electric vehicle can run out of charge.
Just like other vehicles, your EV will display a warning light when the battery is running low on charge. The low battery symbol in EVs usually resembles a traditional gas nozzle with two electrical prongs at the end of the hose.
If your EV ever does lose its charge, here is everything you need to know to be prepared.
Roadside Assistance for EVs
Like any vehicle, your EV is eligible to receive roadside assistance. If you ever encounter problems while on the road, you can call whichever roadside assistance service you are signed up for. Just be sure to tell them that you drive an electric vehicle. For obvious reasons, you want them to bring the proper equipment.
Some roadside services will provide a portable charger to charge your battery enough to reach the nearest service station. However, AAA recently abandoned this service as it was used too infrequently to be practical. But EV drivers can expect services like this to become more common as more people switch to electric driving. EVs can also be jump-started the same as traditional gas cars.
If your car needs to be towed, make sure that the tow company sends a flatbed truck. Towing an EV with a rope or suspension can damage essential components on the undercarriage.
Mobile EV Charger
Mobile EV chargers are a relatively new technology, but they are handy in an emergency. A portable charger can be stored easily in your vehicle for quick access if and whenever needed. Current models range in price from a couple hundred dollars, to a couple thousand. A portable charger like this would mostly be reserved for emergencies. In most cases, you would only need it to provide enough charge to reach the nearest charging station.
A mobile charger could be a sound investment if you frequently make trips in areas without public charging readily available. Look for this technology to improve and become more commonplace as more drivers switch to electric vehicles.
Battery Warranty and Replacement
If you’re wondering about what happens if your EV battery stops working completely, you will want to read about battery warranties. Most luxury electric vehicles come with an 8-year/100,000-mile battery warranty. In most cases, your LEV manufacturer will replace your battery if it deteriorates while still under warranty.
See also: How long do electric cars last?
Ray Catena is the tri-state area’s leader in LEVs – visit us in person and we can help you understand every aspect of LEV batteries and charging, or view our whole inventory of Electrified Luxury.
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