IT SEEMS TO US that EV buyer education is woefully inadequate. Now there’s another issue that EV owners should be aware of (and from what we can tell, most of them aren’t).
Electric vehicles (including hybrids) require special treatment before they can be towed. And as always appears the case, unscrupulous operators are quick to dip into your pocket when they see an opportunity.
Adding to the pressure, many motorists are tempted to cut costs in these difficult times, and one of the things they may be tempted to jettison is roadside assistance, but that could well be false economy for EV and hybrid owners. Fortunately for owners of relatively young vehicles, most are covered by some form of roadside assistance as part of the original warranty and cover, but make sure you take out roadside assistance when the original (manufacturer) assistance expires.
With many modern vehicles having detailed recovery procedures, specialist and up-to-date knowledge is essential, and this is even more important with modern EVs and hybrids. Failure to recover these vehicles correctly can result in costly damage to the crucial motors, transmissions and expensive electrical components.
Freelance towing services may be quick to fleece owners of internal combustion vehicles through inflated call-out charges and extra, unforeseen costs, but EV and plug-in hybrid owners who use unskilled traders may find themselves facing thousands in unnecessary repair bills.
And if the vehicle is damaged during recovery there is the added worry as to whether the operator has the appropriate insurance cover; potentially leaving the driver footing the entire repair bill.
Without appropriate roadside rescue knowledge, these kind of ‘have-a-go’ operators are also potentially putting themselves and drivers at risk of injury, due to a lack of knowledge in appropriately recovering the vehicle or correctly managing the scene.
Breakdown cover top tips
- Get covered! Having no breakdown cover leaves you at the mercy of rogue traders
- Use a reputable breakdown assistance provider
- Have the breakdown cover’s contact details stored in your phone
- Check the recovery company’s credentials. Reputable companies should show ID
- Read your vehicle handbook to check for any special recovery instructions
- Obtain a written and signed vehicle condition report before and after assistance has been provided and take photos of your vehicle both before and after assistance has been provided
- Check for vehicle damage straight after recovery; report any problems immediately