Can You Tow an EV, or Does It Need a Flatbed?
Short answer: usually not the normal way. Most EVs can’t be towed with their wheels on the ground, hook-and-chain or on a dolly, the way a gas car often can. They need a flatbed, with all four wheels off the road, or a specific factory tow procedure most standard tow trucks aren’t equipped or trained to use.
Why electric cars need special towing
Letting the wheels turn spins the electric motor, and a spinning motor acts like a generator, sending current back into a drivetrain that isn’t switched on to handle it. That risks real damage to the motor and the electronics around it. A flatbed avoids the problem entirely by keeping every wheel off the ground. A few newer models offer their own neutral or transport mode for specific situations, but getting that wrong risks the same damage, so it isn’t something a standard tow truck driver can safely improvise.
Can a tow truck charge an EV?
No. A tow truck, flatbed or otherwise, only moves the car; it has no way to put energy back into the battery. If the actual problem is an empty battery, towing it anywhere just relocates the same problem, since the car still won’t drive once it gets there. A car that seems completely dead isn’t necessarily a tow situation either, sometimes it’s just the small 12V battery, not the main one, and a jump fixes that in minutes. See how to tell a dead 12V battery from an empty main battery before assuming the worst.
What flatbed-only towing means for cost and time
Not every towing company keeps a flatbed on every truck the way they keep a standard tow truck. A flatbed can take longer to find and dispatch, and often costs more once it does arrive, on top of an already stressful wait on the shoulder.
The non-tow alternative: charging where the car already is
If the reason the car stopped is simply an empty battery, and that’s the most common reason, a tow isn’t the only option, or even the best one. A RESQVOLT technician brings a generator-powered Level 2 charger to wherever the car is and puts enough energy back in to get it moving again: no flatbed, no towing, no relocating the car at all. See what to do when your EV dies on the road for the full walkthrough.
When you do need a tow
Sometimes it really is a tow situation, a genuine mechanical fault or collision damage rather than an empty battery. If a RESQVOLT technician finds that, they’ll say so plainly instead of trying to charge a car that needs a different kind of help. Even an AAA membership doesn’t change the flatbed math here; see what AAA’s roadside coverage actually includes for an EV.
How to request an on-site charge
Go to resqvolt.com and fill out a short form: where you are, what you’re driving, and whether it’s an emergency. No account or password is required, and no flatbed to wait on.
Request a charge nowWhere this covers
Based in Joplin, Missouri, the standard service radius runs roughly 200 miles, covering Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, including Springfield, Tulsa, and the Fayetteville and Bentonville area. Long-distance calls are built into the service, not a special case; the distance is priced transparently as part of your quote.
Common questions
Can you flat tow an EV?
Generally, no. Most electric vehicles can't be towed with their wheels on the ground, hook-and-chain or on a dolly, the way a gas car often can. They need a flatbed, with all four wheels off the road, or a specific factory tow procedure that most standard tow trucks aren't set up to use safely.
Why do electric cars need special towing?
Letting the wheels turn spins the electric motor, and a spinning motor acts like a generator, sending current back into a drivetrain that isn't switched on to handle it. That risks real damage. A flatbed avoids the problem entirely by keeping every wheel off the ground.
Can a tow truck charge an EV?
No. A tow truck, flatbed or otherwise, only moves the car; it has no way to put energy back into the battery. If the real problem is an empty battery, towing it anywhere just relocates the same problem, since the car still won't drive until it's charged.
If my EV just ran out of charge, do I need a tow at all?
No, and this is exactly where a tow is the wrong tool. A technician can bring a charger to wherever the car already is and put enough energy back in to get it moving again, no flatbed, no towing, no relocating the car at all.
Is flatbed towing more expensive than a regular tow?
Often, yes, and slower to arrive too. Not every towing company keeps a flatbed on every truck the way they keep a standard tow truck, so finding one can take longer and cost more once it does show up.
What if my EV has a mechanical problem, not a dead battery?
Then it's still a tow situation, and a RESQVOLT technician will tell you plainly instead of trying to charge a car that needs a different kind of help. RESQVOLT solves one specific problem: a car that's otherwise fine but out of charge.