Steps to Take When Your Electric Car Runs Out of Battery
Running out of battery while driving your electric vehicle (EV) is a concern for many drivers, especially as they become more popular on the roads. Although modern electric cars have advanced warning systems to alert you when a recharge is needed, unexpected circumstances or simple miscalculations can still leave you stranded with a depleted battery.
While this situation is relatively rare, knowing what to do can make all the difference. From safety tips to practical solutions, we’ll guide you through the steps to keep your journey moving.
What to Do if Your Electric Car Runs Out of Charge
If your electric car runs out of battery, here’s what you should do:
1. Stay Calm and Assess the Situation
- Pull over to a safe location, ideally off the main road and away from traffic.
- Turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers of your situation.
- Assess your surroundings and see if any charging stations or safe areas nearby could offer assistance.
2. Call for Roadside Assistance
- If you have a roadside assistance plan, this is the time to contact them for help. Many EV manufacturers and insurance providers, including EV-specific plans, offer services for battery depletion.
- For example, Income Insurance’s eDrivo Car Insurance offers Emergency Mobile Rescue1, which provides DC fast charging of up to 20% battery capacity at the scene so you can get to the nearest charging station.
3. Explore Emergency Charging Options
- If roadside assistance is not immediately available, check nearby options using an EV charging app or online maps. Many apps can direct you to the nearest public charging stations.
- Consider reaching out to local businesses, residential areas, or even nearby EV owners to ask for help with charging, if possible. Some may have charging facilities that could assist in getting you back on the road.
Can You Push an Electric Car?
Many drivers wonder whether pushing an electric car when running out of charge is possible. Technically, yes, an EV can be pushed if necessary, but it's not recommended. Pushing an EV can potentially damage its electric motor and other critical components, especially since the motor is directly connected to the wheels.
Rather than risking damage, it's best to seek professional assistance, such as calling for roadside help or using an emergency charging service. This ensures the safety of both your vehicle and yourself.
Tips to Prevent Running Out of Charge in Your EV
Avoiding a depleted battery in your EV is easy with proper planning and a few smart strategies. Here are some practical tips to ensure you never find yourself stranded without power:
- Use EV Charging Apps: Familiarise yourself with apps that show the locations of charging stations around Singapore. These apps often include route planners that help you map out charging points, especially useful for long-distance drives.
- Maintain Battery Levels Between 20% and 80%: EV batteries perform best when they’re kept in this range. Make sure to recharge your electric car long before it drops below 20%, rather than waiting until it’s critically low.
- Plan Charging Stops on Longer Trips: If you’re heading out on a long journey, mark charging stations along your route and plan stops to top up your battery. This will give you peace of mind and prevent any unexpected power shortages.
- Charge to 100% for Long Drives: While it’s not necessary for daily use, charging your EV to full capacity before long trips ensures you start with maximum range. However, avoid overcharging regularly, as it can impact battery health over time.
- Drive at a Moderate Speed: EVs tend to be more efficient at lower speeds. When on expressways or long drives, try to maintain a steady speed of around 80 km/h to maximise your range.
How Long Can an EV Battery Last?
EV batteries are designed to last for the long haul, typically around 8 to 10 years or 100,000 to 150,000 miles. However, like all batteries, they will gradually degrade over time, which can lead to a reduced driving range. This degradation is a normal part of an EV’s lifecycle, and most manufacturers offer warranties that reflect this expected lifespan.
The good news is that proper care and maintenance can extend your EV battery’s lifespan. As mentioned earlier, keeping your charge level between 20% and 80%, avoiding exposure to extreme temperatures, and opting for slower charging when possible can all help preserve your EV battery’s health.
Stay Protected With EV Insurance
Owning an electric car comes with unique considerations, and being prepared for unexpected situations, like running out of charge or battery damage, is crucial. Having comprehensive EV insurance can provide the peace of mind you need while on the road, ensuring you're covered in various scenarios.
Here are some key features of Income’s eDrivo Car Insurance that offer enhanced protection for your EV:
- Unlimited Battery Replacement: Get peace of mind with unlimited replacement for your battery2 in the event it is damaged in an accident.
- Cyber Hacking Coverage: Protect your EV from the growing threat of cyber-attacks. If your vehicle is damaged due to malicious cyber activities, eDrivo Car Insurance ensures you’re covered against losses3.
- Add On Coverage for Private Charging Station Coverage: If your private charging station sustains damage from an accident, fire, or other external causes4, our EV insurance plan offers up to $5,0005 in coverage for repairs or replacement.
- Roadside Assistance and Wellness Cover (Optional at an additional $8.72/year): Opt for our roadside assistance and wellness cover and get reimbursed up to $200 reimbursement6 per insured year for non-accidental vehicle breakdowns. If you suffer any facial injuries during an accident, fret not. We provide coverage of up to $1,000 cosmetic reconstructive surgery expenses7 per insured year. And if you are expecting a little one, you can claim up to $10,000 personal accident coverage8 and the additional cover of up to $1,000 for pregnancy-related medical expenses or cosmetic reconstructive surgery expenses coverage in the event of an accident7.
By choosing the right insurance for your electric vehicle, you can protect yourself against unforeseen risks, ensuring your EV ownership experience is smooth and worry-free. Explore how Income's eDrivo Car Insurance can provide comprehensive protection for your EV, ensuring you're covered for every journey.
1 Emergency Mobile Rescue
- We are entitled to modify or alter the manner this service is delivered without notice.
- The geographical coverage and contact details of our Emergency Mobile Rescue Service Provider is available on our website, which will be updated from time to time at our sole discretion.
- This benefit is applicable to you only one time per period of insurance. Subsequent usage will be chargeable.
- This benefit is not applicable for AC charging cars.
2 The battery replacement must be covered under Section 1 of the policy.
3 Cyber hacking by malicious act of gaining unauthorised access to your vehicle systems by any unauthorised person or entity.
4 We will pay you for loss or damage to your private electric charging station caused by:
- Accidental collision;
- Fire, external explosion, lightning, burglary, housebreaking and theft;
- Malicious act by a third party;
- Strike, riot, or civil commotion;
- Flood, typhoon; hurricane, volcanic eruption, earthquake, or other natural disaster.
This benefit is applicable to you only one time per period of insurance.
5 Liability for damage to property, injury or death to any third party is excluded.
6 Roadside Breakdown Assistance Benefit
If your vehicle cannot be driven due to any puncture to its tyre(s) or any mechanical or electrical breakdown and not due to an accident involving your vehicle, we will pay you the reasonable expenses incurred on site up to $200 once for each period of insurance for the following services rendered:
- Service charge to replace the defective batteries.
- Service charge to replace the punctured tyre.
- Towing fee incurred to tow the vehicle to the policyholder’s preferred workshop.
- Any other services charges necessarily incurred on site arising out of the breakdown.
The costs of replacing any vehicle parts, including batteries and tyres, are not covered by this benefit.
If the vehicle breaks down, you have to contact a breakdown service provider to assist you. To submit your claim for this benefit, you must provide the following within 30 days of the breakdown:
- Claim form.
- Photographic evidence of the service(s) provided on site.
- Tax invoice/ Receipt with details on the type of services performed by the service provider and payment made.
7 Additional Medical Expenses
We will pay you a further sum of up to $1,000 for reasonable medical expenses which you have paid due to an accident involving your vehicle while you are the driver of, or a passenger, for the following treatments:
- Your pregnancy related check-up or treatment necessitated and due to the accident; or
- Your cosmetic (aesthetic, plastic surgery or dental treatment, or any treatment) reconstructive surgery.
We will only pay the cosmetic reconstructive benefit if the treatment is carried out:
a. to restore any loss of function or change in appearance due to an injury or a condition sustained by you as a result of an accident involving your vehicle;
b. within 30 days after the date of the accident; and
c. by a medical practitioner registered under the Medical Registration Act 1997. This benefit is only payable to you once per period of insurance and provided you have a claim which is paid or payable by us under Section 1 of your policy.
8 Additional Personal Accident Benefits
We will pay you or your personal representative the amount shown in the scale of compensation for death or bodily injury arising out of an accident while you are the driver of, or a passenger in, your vehicle.
Scale of compensation:
a. Death - $10,000
b. Total and permanent loss of all sight in both eyes - $10,000
c. Total loss by physical severance at or above the wrist or ankle of both hands or both feet or of one hand together with one foot - $10,000
d. Total loss by physical severance at or above the wrist or ankle of one hand or one foot together with the total and permanent loss of all sight in one eye - $10,000
e. Total and permanent loss of all sight in one eye - $5,000
f. Total loss by physical severance at or above wrist or ankle of one hand or one foot - $5,000
We will only pay one of the items listed from a to f above for any one accident. If you die and/or suffer several injuries, we will only pay for the one item that provides the highest compensation. Our maximum limit that we will pay for any one accident is $10,000.
If you have more than one private car policy with us, we will pay under one of the policies only.
This benefit applies to a policyholder who is pregnant at the material time of the accident.
We will not pay you any compensation if the loss or injury is not listed in the scale of compensation.
This article is meant purely for informational purposes and does not constitute an offer, recommendation, solicitation or advise to buy or sell any product(s). It should not be relied upon as financial advice. The precise terms, conditions and exclusions of any Income Insurance products mentioned are specified in their respective policy contracts. Please seek independent financial advice before making any decision.
These policies are protected under the Policy Owners’ Protection Scheme which is administered by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation (SDIC). Coverage for your policy is automatic and no further action is required from you. For more information on the types of benefits that are covered under the scheme as well as the limits of coverage, where applicable, please contact Income Insurance or visit the GIA/LIA or SDIC websites (www.gia.org.sg or www.lia.org.sg or www.sdic.org.sg).
This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
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