No good Samaritan can help fuel your car or push it to the nearest station if your electric car gets stuck in the middle of the road. When an electric car battery is out of charge and your electric car stops you can’t just jump-start it. Let’s go through the details of what happens when an electric car battery is out of charge and what to do in such a situation.
How is Running Out of Car Battery Different from Running Out of Fuel
First things first, it is really difficult to run out of battery charge when compared with vehicles run on regular fuel. Both fuel-powered and electric cars have gauges that inform drivers well in advance that the fuel or car battery is about to end.
Fuel combustion engine cars give visual alerts on the instrument display when the fuel is about to end. On the other hand, electric cars inform drivers via multiple visual and audio warnings when the battery starts running down.
Some electric cars also display messages on the navigation screen suggesting drivers stop at a nearby EV charging station before the electric car runs out of battery charge. Therefore, the chances of being stranded on the road in an EV are slim.
That said, if an EV driver ignores the warning signs the electric car battery can drain out completely. To put it simply, and EV will eventually slow down and die, and if there is no electric charging station nearby, you’ll be stuck for a long time.
On the other hand, one can jumpstart the battery of regular fuel-powered vehicles or push it to the nearest petrol station.
What Happens When An Electric Car Battery Runs Out Of Charge
Most electric cars go into a low-power mode, also known as the turtle mode, when the car runs out of charge. In some cars, a turtle icon also appears on the dashboard when the battery is depleted. Furthermore, when the car computer makes calculations and figures out that it will not be able to travel a long distance further, it may floor the accelerator pedal and limit the power.
This gives you a chance to reach the nearest possible EV charging point.
That said, please note that lithium-ion batteries, mostly used in EVs, degrade rapidly when they are fully discharged. And if you keep trying to drive an electric vehicle with no charge, ultimately, the car computer will stop sending to the wheels.
When an electric car comes to a complete stop because of low battery, it will most likely be loaded on a trailer and get towed to the nearest electric car charging centre. Then, you will have to wait till your car is sufficiently charged before carrying on with your journey.
What to Consider When Calling Roadside Assistance
Tow trucks can easily rescue stranded electric cars the same way they rescue fuel-powered cars. That said, before calling roadside assistance, try to turn your EV off and back on if you are close to an electric charging station. Some EVs might give 1-3 km when restarted – however, this is not guaranteed for all-electric car models.
Moreover, some road assistance companies have trucks with mobile charging options. But they are rare; call and find out if such trucks are available in the fleet. Besides checking this, always remember that the car’s motor generates power when the wheel spins.
Make sure the electric car’s wheels do not move when towed. Also, keep in mind towing an electric car requires a flatbed truck.
How to Prevent Your EV from Running Out of Battery
To keep your electric vehicle from running out of battery use home chargers and follow these tips to boost electric car battery life. If you are a new electric car user, go through these tips for new electric car owners and make the most of your EV car experience.
That is all about what happens when an electric car battery is out of charge. That said, if you are looking to buy EVs, check out these used cars for sale in the UAE including a number of electric vehicles.
Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for more on electric car problems and solutions.
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