Electric Vehicle Help in Columbus: EV Towing With Zero Wheels Down

Electric motors are tied directly to the wheels, so rolling an EV with any wheels on the pavement turns the motors and can push current back into the system or damage the drive unit. Most manufacturers, Tesla included, tell owners to haul the car on a carrier deck with no tire on the road. That's the only way we move them.

Yes. We move Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X vehicles regularly. The driver will ask you to enable transport mode from the touchscreen, then load the car with tow eyes or skates. We can take it to a Tesla service center, a body shop, a Supercharger or your home.

The price is built from the distance to reach your car, the miles to its destination, the hour you call, plus extras like skates or a winch-out. Electric vehicles don't carry a separate surcharge just for being electric. The dispatcher quotes it all before dispatch; see our rates page.

No. Our trucks don't carry mobile charging gear. When an EV is at zero, the fix is a short flatbed ride to a working charger. We can usually drop it right at an open stall, so you can plug in as soon as the car is off the deck.

That depends on distance and traffic at the time you call. Our dispatcher works out a current estimate while you are on the phone and revises it if conditions shift. Electric cars don't need special trucks beyond our standard flatbeds, so you won't wait for a particular rig.

It depends on the specific vehicle's weight. Large electric pickups and SUVs can be much heavier than a gas equivalent because of the battery. The dispatcher asks for the model and trim and checks it against our carriers' rated capacity. If it is over, we tell you right away and help arrange a heavier truck.

Yes. When a car can't release its parking brake, the driver places wheel skates under the locked tires and winches the car onto the deck on the skates. It takes a little longer than a normal load but doesn't drag the tires. A boost to the 12-volt battery sometimes wakes the car enough to shift.

Yes. Plug-in hybrids and conventional hybrids get the same flatbed treatment. Many hybrids have electric motors linked to the wheels just like a full EV, so carrying them with every wheel up is the safe choice. Mild hybrids that share a regular transmission still go on the deck, since every truck in our fleet is a carrier anyway.

Yes, with care. A damaged battery can occasionally overheat hours or days after a crash, so a wrecked EV should go to a shop or lot where it can be watched and parked away from other cars. Tell the dispatcher about any smoke, hissing or a strong smell; if you notice those, move away from the car and call 911.

Anywhere you want within reason: a manufacturer service center, an independent EV shop, a collision center, a fast charger at Easton or Polaris, or your own driveway. For trips beyond Central Ohio, ask about long-distance transport. If the destination is closed when we arrive, the car waits at our yard until it opens.

Several EVs, especially the Ioniq 6, EV6 and Model 3, sit fairly low up front. We lower the deck as far as it goes and use ramp extensions to soften the angle, then pull slowly while watching the bumper. Let the dispatcher know if your car has an aftermarket splitter or lowered suspension.

It helps, because transport mode is often set from inside the car or from a phone app. If you can't be there, arrange to leave the key card or fob with someone and tell the dispatcher how the car should be put in tow mode. We may also ask for proof that you own the car.