Shipping an Electric Vehicle: What Is Actually Different
An electric vehicle ships on the same trucks as everything else, and most of what you have heard about it being difficult is wrong. Three things genuinely differ: an EV is heavier than the equivalent gasoline car, its state of charge matters, and if it will not roll or steer the job changes completely. Everything else is ordinary auto transport.
Weight Is the Real Constraint
This is the difference that affects pricing and loading, and it is the one most people never think about.
A battery pack is heavy. A mid size electric sedan commonly weighs several hundred pounds more than its gasoline equivalent, and a large electric truck or SUV can be 1,500 to 2,000 pounds heavier than a comparable conventional model. Some electric pickups exceed 9,000 pounds.
A car hauler is limited by gross vehicle weight, not by the number of slots on the deck. A trailer that carries nine ordinary sedans may only carry seven heavy EVs, and the carrier has to make that arithmetic work across the whole load. That is why EVs sometimes price a little higher, and why an unusually heavy vehicle should be declared by its actual curb weight rather than described as a car.
Give the real number from the door jamb sticker or the manufacturer’s specification. A weight surprise at pickup is the thing most likely to cost you a day.
State of Charge
Aim for somewhere between a quarter and a half charge, and confirm with the carrier before pickup.
The reasoning is practical. There has to be enough charge for the vehicle to be driven on and off the trailer, repositioned during the trip and moved at delivery, potentially several days after collection. Vehicles sitting on a truck lose a little charge to standby systems.
Full charge is not the answer. A pack sitting at 100 percent for days is worse for it than one sitting mid range, and a full pack gives no benefit on a truck. Very low charge is the real risk, because a vehicle that cannot move under its own power at delivery becomes an inoperable vehicle and is billed as one.
Turn Off What Wakes the Car Up
Modern EVs run background systems that assume the car is parked at home, and a few of them cause trouble in transit.
Disable sentry, guard or security modes that keep cameras and sensors live, because they drain the pack over several days and can trigger alerts every time the truck moves. Turn off scheduled charging and preconditioning routines that expect a plug that is not there.
Switch off any automatic locking that engages when you walk away, since the driver needs to get in. Leave the vehicle in a state where it can be woken and moved with the key or card you hand over, and hand over a physical key or card rather than only a phone app.
If the vehicle has an air suspension setting for transport or jacking, use it. Some manufacturers publish a specific transport mode; if yours does, follow it.
Open or Enclosed
Open transport is right for most electric vehicles, exactly as it is for most cars, and it is what the majority use.
Enclosed is worth the 20 to 30 percent premium in the same situations as any other car: fresh paintwork, a wrap, a high value or low production vehicle, or a winter move where road salt is the concern. There is no EV specific reason to insist on enclosed. Batteries are sealed, weather rated systems and rain is not a factor.
Non Running Electric Vehicles
This is where the cost genuinely changes, and it is worth understanding before you ask for a quote.
An inoperable vehicle needs a winch and a carrier equipped for it, which narrows the pool of available trucks and raises the price. For an EV, “inoperable” has a broader meaning than for a gasoline car. A dead 12 volt battery can leave a car unable to release its parking brake or shift out of park even when the main pack is healthy, which turns a running car into a non running one.
Check the 12 volt battery before pickup, not just the main pack. It is the single most common cause of an EV that will not cooperate at loading.
A vehicle with a damaged or recalled high voltage battery is a different category again. Damaged lithium packs are treated as hazardous and require specialized handling, specific carriers and additional documentation. Say so up front, because it changes who can legally take the job.
Hybrids and Plug In Hybrids
These sit between the two categories and are worth a note, because owners often assume they carry the same considerations as a full EV.
A conventional hybrid ships exactly like a gasoline car. It has a small battery, it runs on fuel, and none of the state of charge advice applies. Leave about a quarter tank as you would with any vehicle.
A plug in hybrid carries a larger battery and some extra weight, though nothing like a full EV, and it has an engine as a fallback so a flat traction battery does not immobilize it. Ship it with a quarter tank of fuel and a partial charge, and turn off scheduled charging routines the same way you would on an EV. The 12 volt battery is worth checking on any of them, since it is what actually wakes the car up.
Preparing the Vehicle
Wash it so existing marks are visible, then photograph every panel in daylight, including the wheels, the lower bumpers and the rocker panels, which are what loading marks.
Empty the cabin and the trunk, and remember the front trunk, which people forget. Personal items are not covered by cargo insurance and they add weight to a vehicle that is already heavy. Remove the charging cable and adapters if they are valuable, or note them specifically on the bill of lading if they travel.
Fold the mirrors, remove a toll transponder and check tire pressures, since EV tires typically run higher pressures than people expect. At delivery, inspect before signing and note anything unexpected on the bill of lading while the driver is present. Our guide to electric vehicle shipping costs covers the pricing side in more detail.
Common Questions
Does an EV cost more to ship? Sometimes slightly, because of weight rather than any special handling. A heavy vehicle takes more of a trailer’s capacity.
What charge should it have? Between a quarter and a half. Enough to drive on and off and be repositioned days later, without sitting at 100 percent.
Does it need enclosed transport? No more than any other car. Batteries are sealed and weather rated. Choose enclosed for value or paint reasons, not for the drivetrain.
What if it will not start? It ships as an inoperable vehicle, which costs more. Check the 12 volt battery first, since that is usually the culprit rather than the main pack.
Can a damaged battery ship? Only with a carrier equipped and authorized for it. Damaged lithium packs are treated as hazardous, so disclose it when you book.
Get a Quote
Call Ship A Car, Inc. at (866) 821-4555 with both zip codes, the year, make and model, and whether the vehicle runs and drives, or price the move with the instant calculator.
