EV Jump-Starts – Is It Possible?

It may be easy to think that electric vehicles simply have one large battery pack that powers everything. However, that’s not always the case as some EVs have a 12-volt battery in addition to the large battery pack that powers the vehicle. The 12-volt battery in EVs is similar to the 12-volt batteries found in standard vehicles with an internal combustion engine. The 12-volt battery in electric vehicles is often designed to power accessories and minor electrical components on your North Charleston adventures.

Sometimes, if you’ve left a light on or maybe something plugged in, the 12-volt battery will be fully drained and your electric vehicle won’t start. So, can you jump-start an EV? If your EV has a 12-volt battery, you can likely have it jump-started by another vehicle. We recommend you reference your owner’s manual or schedule a service appointment with our experts to confirm if your specific EV can be jump-started. With that in mind, learn about EV jump-starts today with the service experts at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet and we’ll even help you answer the question, “Can you jump-start a car with an EV?”

How To Perform an EV Jump-Start

Keep in mind that you should never attempt to jump-start the lithium-ion battery pack in your electric vehicle. The only battery that should be jumped in your EV is the 12-volt battery. With that out of the way, here’s how to jump-start your EV if you find that you’re stranded in Mount Pleasant:

1. Park both vehicles close to each other so that the jumper cables can reach the jumping points easily.
2. With both cars off, connect the red clamp on the jumper cable to the positive terminal on the EV.
3. Connect the other red clamp to the positive terminal on the vehicle with the working battery.
4. The black clamp on the jumper cable should now be attached to the negative terminal on the vehicle with the working battery.
5. The final black clamp should be connected to an unpainted metal surface on the EV to ground the connection.
6. Start the vehicle with the good battery.
7. After a few minutes, start the EV.

Can You Jump-Start a Car with an EV?

You can jump-start an EV with a regular car, but can you jump-start a car with an EV? No, you should rarely use your electric vehicle to jump-start another car. Doing so can cause damage to your electric vehicle. If you have an electric vehicle and someone you know needs a jump-start in James Island, we recommend you assist them with getting a roadside assistance service or finding someone else to jump-start their vehicle. 

Learn About EV Jump-Starts & Other Service Tips With Rick Hendrick Chevrolet!

Our experts in Charleston are dedicated to helping you keep your vehicle in excellent shape. From EV maintenance to other service tips, you can count on us to assist. Let us know today if you have any questions!