Published: 2026-03-02 · Updated: 2026-03-02

How to Tow an Electric Car (Without Destroying the Motor)

Why Can't You Tow an Electric Car Normally?

Most electric cars can't be towed with wheels on the ground because the electric motor stays mechanically connected to the drive wheels at all times. There's no neutral gear that physically disconnects the drivetrain the way a traditional transmission does. When those wheels spin during a tow, the motor spins too — and it immediately starts generating electricity through regenerative braking. That current has nowhere safe to go, so it back-feeds into the battery pack and power electronics. According to Tesla's service documentation, damage can begin in as little as 0.3 miles of wheels-down towing.

Think of it like this: your EV's motor is both an engine and a generator, depending on direction of energy flow. Tow it wrong, and you've turned a breakdown into a $10,000 repair.

This is fundamentally different from towing a rear-wheel-drive gas car with the front wheels up. In that scenario, the drivetrain isn't rotating at all. In an EV, there's no clean way to "disconnect" unless the manufacturer specifically built that feature in.

Can You Flat Tow an Electric Car Behind an RV?

Flat towing an electric car — four wheels on the ground, connected by a tow bar to an RV — is explicitly prohibited by nearly every major manufacturer. Tesla, Rivian, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, and GM all state in their owner's manuals that flat towing is not permitted for their EVs.

The driven wheels turning on pavement continuously engages regenerative braking. At highway speed behind an RV, you're looking at sustained back-EMF current flooding the inverter and battery management system with unregulated voltage. The result is almost always motor winding failure or inverter board destruction — neither cheap to fix.

A small number of plug-in hybrids with front-wheel-drive-only configurations technically allow dolly towing of the front wheels while the rear axle (which carries the electric motor) stays off the ground — but verify this with your specific manufacturer before attempting anything. Don't assume.

If you're an RV owner shopping for a dinghy car, this matters a lot. Check out our flat towing guide before making a purchase decision — not after.

How Should You Tow an Electric Car?

A flatbed tow truck with all four wheels completely off the ground is the only universally approved towing method for electric cars. Every major EV manufacturer — Tesla, Rivian, Ford, Hyundai, BMW, GM — specifies flatbed-only recovery in their towing guidelines. AAA echoes this position in their EV roadside assistance guidance.

Here's exactly what that process should look like:

Before the flatbed arrives:

• Activate your vehicle's Transport Mode or Tow Mode if available (more on that below)
• If the 12V auxiliary battery is dead, consult your manual for the manual parking brake release procedure — usually accessed via a small panel in the trunk or under a seat
• For Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, the manual release is a red strap located behind the rear seat bottom cushion
• Keep hazard lights on; if you're on a highway, stay behind the barrier if one is present

When the operator arrives:

• Confirm they have a flatbed — not a wheel-lift or a dolly setup
• Point out the vehicle's lift points; most EVs have reinforced jacking pads that don't damage the battery enclosure. The Ford F-150 Lightning, for example, has specific jack pad locations stamped in the rocker panel
• Make sure all four wheels are fully on the deck before any straps are applied

Use our flat tow checker tool to quickly verify whether your specific EV model is approved for any ground-contact towing.

Enter your EV's make, model, and year to get instant manufacturer towing guidance.

Does Towing an Electric Car Damage the Motor?

Yes — improperly towing an electric car causes significant and often irreversible motor damage, and the damage can happen fast. When the drive wheels rotate, the permanently-coupled motor acts as an uncontrolled generator, producing electrical current with nowhere to go. That current overheats the motor windings, fries the inverter's IGBT power transistors, and pushes unregulated voltage into the battery management system (BMS).

Real repair numbers are sobering. Based on dealer service data and owner forum reports aggregated by EV communities, drivetrain damage from improper towing typically costs between $3,000 and $15,000 to fix — and warranty coverage is almost always denied because it falls under owner misuse.

Here's a worked example: Say your Chevy Bolt EUV gets towed two miles wheel-down by a well-meaning operator using a wheel-lift truck. The rear motor has been spinning at 60 mph equivalent for those two miles. The inverter — which on the Bolt EUV runs at 360V DC — has been absorbing uncontrolled current with no active thermal management running. You could be looking at a full drive unit replacement, which GM dealers price at roughly $8,000–$11,000 for parts and labor alone.

The kicker? If your 12V system is alive, your instrument cluster may not show any warning until the damage is already done.

Which Electric Cars Have a Built-In Tow Mode?

Several modern EVs include a dedicated transport or tow mode. Here's what's available across common models, based on current manufacturer documentation:

Source: Respective manufacturer owner's manuals and towing supplements, 2023–2025 model years.

This is a critical distinction: tow mode does not authorize flat towing. It's purely a tool for safe flatbed loading — releasing the parking brake, disabling the automatic hold, and allowing the wheels to roll slowly onto the deck. The moment those wheels spin at road speed, you're back in dangerous territory regardless of mode.

For details on how different tow trucks handle EV recovery, see our types of tow trucks guide.

How Much Does It Cost to Flatbed Tow an Electric Car?

Flatbed towing an EV typically runs $125–$350 for a local tow of 5–15 miles. Long-distance towing averages $3–$7 per mile beyond that. EVs often cost 10–20% more to tow than equivalent gas vehicles for two reasons: they're heavier (most EVs weigh 4,500–6,500 lbs, compared to 3,200–4,000 lbs for comparable ICE sedans), and they require a flatbed, which costs more to dispatch than a wheel-lift truck.

A Rivian R1S can tip the scales at 7,150 lbs. That's not a standard flatbed job — you need a heavy-duty flatbed rated for that gross weight, which narrows your operator pool and bumps the price further.

Long-distance towing — say, you run out of charge on a rural highway in Montana, 80 miles from the nearest dealer — can easily run $400–$700 out of pocket. AAA Plus membership covers 100 miles of towing; AAA Premium covers 200 miles. For EV owners, that upgrade is worth doing the math on. Use our towing cost calculator to estimate what a specific tow might run you in your area, or check our towing costs guide for a full breakdown.

According to AAA's 2023 annual data, they responded to over 464,000 EV-related service calls, with roughly 32% involving battery or charging issues — the most common reason EVs need a tow.

What Should You Do If Your EV Breaks Down on the Highway?

If your electric car breaks down on the highway, move as far right onto the shoulder as you can, activate your hazard lights, and call for a flatbed tow truck specifically. Don't just call any towing service — tell the dispatcher immediately that you have an electric vehicle requiring flatbed-only recovery.

Here's the specific sequence:

1. Pull over safely — if you have any remaining range, coast to an exit or at minimum a wide shoulder
2. Stay in or behind the vehicle depending on shoulder width and traffic speed — NHTSA data shows a significant percentage of roadside fatalities involve people standing behind their vehicles on active shoulders
3. Call for flatbed service — if you have roadside assistance through AAA, specify EV flatbed when you call
4. Activate tow/transport mode if your vehicle supports it (see table above)
5. If the 12V system is dead, use the manual parking brake release documented in your owner's manual before the operator arrives — don't wait for them to figure it out on the shoulder

One honest limitation: if your high-voltage battery is critically damaged — from a collision, flood exposure, or thermal event — a standard flatbed is not sufficient. Some EV battery fires reignite hours after the initial event. In that scenario, specialized EV recovery operators use enclosed, lined carriers or water-immersion containers. Your standard tow company won't have that equipment. Check with your manufacturer's emergency line (Tesla: 877-798-3752; Rivian: 888-748-4261) for guidance on thermal incident recovery.

Understanding what to do after your car gets towed can also help you navigate the next steps once it's safely off the road.

If you're worried about being taken advantage of during a stressful breakdown, our guide on tow truck scams covers the most common tactics and how to avoid them.