Updated 4 October 2026 · Roadvault Transport, Nottingham
Why EVs need to be carried, not towed
In most electric cars, the driven wheels are connected directly to the motor. Turning them makes the motor generate electricity, which can damage the drive system if the car is towed with those wheels on the road. That's why most manufacturers say an EV should be carried on a flatbed or trailer.
That's how we recover every car anyway: carried, never towed on its wheels. If an EV is stuck in park or won't power up, recovery skates move it without turning the wheels (£40 for one or two wheels, or £60 for all four, only if needed).
It won't switch on
If the screens are dead and it won't go into "ready", the cause is often the small 12V battery, not the main battery. It powers the computers that wake the car up. Some EVs can be jump-started on dedicated points, following the handbook; we check before we do anything.
It's run out of charge
We can't charge an EV at the roadside, but we can recover it to the nearest suitable charger, to your home or wherever you choose, priced by the mile like any recovery.
Hybrids
Hybrids are similar: many shouldn't be towed with their driven wheels on the ground, and they have a 12V battery that can go flat too. We treat them the same way.
What it costs
The same as any car recovery: £85 call-out plus £2.50 a mile by day, and £135 plus £2.50 a mile at night and on bank holidays, with the first 5 miles included. We confirm the total before we set off.
