Reading : 2 minutes
Jan 16, 2024

Transporting your vehicle across the country can be quite challenging for anyone, but especially for owners of electric vehicles. Although the number of charging stations is increasing throughout the country, it can still be difficult to find a place to charge your vehicle in rural areas along your long distance trip. This can make the task of shipping an electric vehicle nearly impossible for many owners. For this reason, many people turn to an auto transport company to help them transport their electric vehicle. Although transporting an electric and hybrid vehicle is similar to transporting a standard fuel vehicle, there are some special preparations that need to be made to ensure the vehicle arrives safely at its destination. 

What’s Different About Shipping an Electric Car?

The biggest difference in shipping electric vehicles and standard fuel vehicles is the battery. Electric vehicles use larger batteries for power, which are much heavier than those found in standard fuel vehicles. This can cause the overall weight of an electric or hybrid vehicle to be more than a standard vehicle. This increase in weight can cause the shipping price to go up for electric vehicles. 

In addition to their weight, electric and hybrid vehicles may require the shipping company to practice extra care, obtain special licensing, and have different equipment to safely move batteries that are made of lithium ion. 

What are the Potential Dangers of Lithium Ion Batteries?

There are a few significant dangers associated with transporting lithium ion batteries which is why there are specific steps that need to be taken when transporting electric vehicles. Due to these potential hazards, additional licensing and specialized equipment is required to move electric vehicles. Just as laptops and computers containing lithium ion batteries have been known to catch fire, the same can happen if an electric vehicle overheats. As a result, you need to be sure the shipping company specializes in transporting electric vehicles and certain steps need to be taken to minimize this risk. A fire that is produced from these lithium ion batteries cannot be easily extinguished and could completely damage the vehicle or even cause the battery to explode. While the chances of this happening are low, it is still important that auto shipping companies take steps to minimize this risk. 

How Do I Prepare My Electric Car for Shipment?

Preparing an electric vehicle for shipment is essentially the same as any other standard fuel vehicle. You should complete the following steps to ensure your vehicle is ready for shipment:

  • Clean the interior and exterior of the vehicle
  • Thoroughly inspect the vehicle and make notes of any scratches or dings. Take plenty of photos for your records.
  • Remove any valuables or personal items.
  • Disable alarms or any other systems.
  • Ensure the battery is properly secure to avoid movement.

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