You might feel overwhelmed by the procedure if you own an electric car and need to have it sent across the nation or world. In contrast to typical gas-powered vehicles, electric automobiles can be challenging to drive.
The nation’s largest urban centers have an expanding supercharger network. However, finding a charging station in remote places is still challenging during a long journey. Due to this aspect, driving your electric vehicle by yourself from one state to the next may be difficult.
However, moving an electric vehicle is easier than you would think. There are indeed some preparations to make, but overall, the procedure is rather simple. That is unless you want to ensure your electric car is relocated in an environmentally responsible manner and at a reasonable cost.
If so, you could put in a little more effort to get the ideal shipping service to assist you. The good news is that we can provide you with all the information you want on how to transfer an electric automobile. So let’s get started.
Shipping an Electric Car
Are there any particular specifications for exporting hybrid and electric vehicles? Many individuals choose to drive electric and hybrid vehicles due to high petrol prices and environmental concerns.
The nation had a 67 percent rise in hybrid automobile sales in 2021. Therefore, it is not unexpected that many of these automobiles wind up being transferred from the United States to foreign countries.
Tesla, Toyota, and VW are the most well-known EV and hybrid car manufacturers in the United States. We’ll go over everything you need to know about sending your electric vehicle overseas in this post.
Precautions When Shipping an EV
When compared to transporting any other type of vehicle, an electric car’s batteries are the main distinction. Electric cars require big batteries to provide electricity, similar to the rechargeable kind available in many stores.
However, compared to their single-use equivalents, the large rechargeable batteries used in electric automobiles are substantially heavier. As a result, an electric or hybrid vehicle has a substantially higher total weight.
Many auto shipping firms will charge you extra to ship a hybrid or electric car due to the bigger battery and greater weight. To transfer lithium-ion batteries securely, the firm may also need to take extra precautions, acquire additional licenses, and use specialized equipment.
Electric Car Battery Safety
You may have heard of lithium-ion battery-powered cell phones and computers that caught fire due to overheating. Because of this, many people wonder if using such batteries in electric cars is safe.
Manufacturers of cell phones and laptops use lithium-ion batteries because of their ideal size to energy output ratio. However, they occasionally catch fire because they carry so much energy for such a small item.
This happens when the oxidizer and fuel are housed inside the battery. And unlike a typical fire, the flames created in this manner cannot be put out. The resulting temperatures have the potential to melt metal and cause battery explosions.
The batteries in electric vehicles are larger and have a far greater explosive potential. Some businesses, like Tesla Motors, put the batteries, which can accelerate a car from 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds, immediately behind the occupants. This is the main worry of the majority of electric car transportation firms.
However, Tesla Motors and other businesses have put in place a number of cutting-edge safety measures. Safety considerations even led to the choice to employ many smaller batteries stacked together rather than a single bigger cell. Each battery is segregated and has a steel casing covering it. The entire system is enclosed as well for additional security.
Shipping regulations for electric automobiles differ from those for conventional vehicles. Transporting an electric car has traditionally been a challenging and expensive task.
As the market has grown, the automotive business has favored more modern technology norms. The market for transporting automobiles has changed to accommodate rising customer demands for electric vehicles.
Currently, most transportation providers ship electric automobiles for around the same cost as conventional vehicles. Both gas and electric cars may be shipped safely today, thanks to modern techniques. Where we provide some of the most affordable auto shipping services in North America, it’s simple to locate a trustworthy way to move your electric car.
Because there are fewer charging stations than traditional petrol stations, it may not only be difficult for you to drive an electric vehicle across the nation.
Unquestionably, using an auto shipping firm to export your electric car is the most secure, efficient, and economical way to get it to your intended destination. Here are some other justifications for transporting your electric vehicle:
It is cumbersome, perhaps dangerous, and causes unnecessary wear and tear on the automobile to transport an electric car oneself. The current shipping regulations ensure that your electric vehicle will be safe and secure for the duration of its trip across cities, states, or even the globe.
The best action is to hire a car shipping business to provide peace of mind and leave the logistics to the experts. Vehicles are not operating while being transported; instead, they are at rest within a truck, ship, or aircraft. As a result, there is no possibility of the car overheating.
The electric car is within a truck or ship, so the impact on the vehicle and batteries will be substantially buffered even if the batteries catch fire in the event of a collision. The batteries are also built with safety features in case of a collision, as was previously mentioned.
Concerning exporting your electric car, you shouldn’t. The entire auto shipping procedure is secure, predictable, and created to protect your vehicle.
Preparing Your Electric Vehicle
If you’re a devoted owner of an electric vehicle, you must get the most out of your green investment. An EV’s maximum driving range is often only a few hundred miles, making long trips a nuisance. Utilizing electric vehicle shipping is one way to ensure you can bring your electric car wherever you go.
Make the most of your electric car using a cross-country auto shipping company. It doesn’t matter if you’re moving, changing your address due to a job promotion, traveling north for the summer or south for the winter, or just buying an electric car online.
You must discover the most dependable firm to move an electric vehicle from one place to another. You want to be sure you’re receiving the best electric vehicle shipping service because you’ve invested a lot in your electric car.
Several restless nights spent awake worried about damage, overcharging, and if your EV arrives on the schedule are perhaps the worst possible scenario. What you require is a reputable business with experience.
If you choose the proper one, you can be confident they’ll manage your shipment correctly since they have the skills and expertise necessary to deliver a seamless and stress-free service.
Hire a Mechanic
After cleaning it, you should determine whether it fits the relocation. The simplest method to accomplish this is to locate a nearby mechanic with experience working on electric vehicles.
There will be an increase in the number of mechanics familiar with maintaining and repairing electric vehicles as more and more businesses collaborate to produce them.
However, depending on where you live, it can be difficult for you to locate a good electric vehicle technician right now. If that’s the case, you should search for a reputable one online. If you want to move your electric car securely, you should only trust the best experts to maintain it.
Clean the EV
Safe transportation requires a clean vehicle. Regardless of your chosen transportation method, you must first clean your vehicle. Therefore, you may take your automobile to a nearby cleaning or do it yourself.
Maintaining a clean car goes beyond aesthetics. The aesthetic appeal of a spotless automobile is undeniable, but safety comes first.
If your automobile is unclean and poorly maintained, there is a greater chance that it may break down. For this reason, washing your car before exporting it and keeping it that way is essential.
Interviewing Moving Companies
The moment has come to hire someone to transfer your automobile once you have prepped it and have the required documentation. Now, locating a respectable shipping business is comparable to finding a respectable moving business.
You can visit websites; Google or Facebook are the ideal places to go if you’re moving automobiles. You must begin early and keep seeking until you discover the most trustworthy and capable person.
Electric vehicles are often pricey. Therefore, you need to have skilled, well-equipped car movers handle it if you want it to stay in mint condition.
After you have identified a few possible automobile transporters, you must weed them out to identify the most dependable ones. If they only want to transport them, moving a standard automobile and an electric car are comparable tasks. So don’t be concerned if a firm doesn’t say that it transports electric vehicles.
Simply browse for businesses with the greatest experience and the best reviews. Contact those that appear trustworthy and knowledgeable after you’ve found them. Then you will be able to learn about their moving strategy and the cost they anticipate costing you.
Types of Shipping Options for an EV
You might be surprised to learn that there are several options for shipping an electric vehicle. Your electric car will need to enter the nation by boat or plane if you export it from abroad. Once you’ve done that, you may ship in various ways. You have a choice of taking a train or an auto carrier vehicle.
Larger businesses typically employ trains for larger cargo. They might be pretty pricey but are safe. Because of this, you’ll probably choose auto carrier trucks.
However, this is hardly the end of your possibilities. You have the option of open or enclosed carriers. Although open carriers are often less expensive, they offer less security.
Your automobile will be protected from the elements in covered carriers, which may be pretty helpful in harsh regions. But the biggest drawback is that moving your car won’t be environmentally friendly.
Even though many communities are making every effort to go green, businesses frequently show little concern for the environment.
Additionally, becoming green is typically quite expensive and challenging for auto freight firms. For this reason, you can pay a driver to relocate it on your behalf.
Cost of Shipping an Electric Car
On average, an electric automobile may be sent to another state for about $1 per mile. For travel lengths under 500 miles, this cost is applicable. This rate reduces to just $0.60 per mile for longer journeys, such as 1,000 miles or more.
But keep in mind that this is simply an average number. The amount you must pay is determined by a number of variables. Let’s take a closer look at these.
For obvious reasons, distance is a significant factor to consider when shipping an EV across the country. A shorter distance will be less expensive. Longer journeys have a cheaper charge per mile, but the total cost is higher.
Locations for pickup and delivery are other critical factors when shipping an EV. Urban and metropolitan regions have many carriers operating there. Hence the cost is typically cheaper than in rural places.
It also matters what brand and model your car is. Cars that are bigger and heavier usually cost more. This is because in order to stay below weight limits, the carrier must move fewer automobiles.
Type of vehicle shipping service: Many different kinds of vehicle transport services are available. The most common option is open vehicle transport, whereas covered automobile transport offers more security and protection but is more expensive. We’ll look at a few of the additional car transport choices later.
When requesting a quote, you will be prompted to indicate if your automobile is functioning or not. Transporting a functional automobile is less expensive. Special equipment is needed to load and unload a non-operational vehicle, raising the cost.
The time of year is also a significant factor when it comes to shipping an electric car. It is cheaper to ship an electric vehicle in the summer than in the winter. This is because snow and ice cause costs to rise.
Electric Car Shipping Documentation
There are going to be some documents that are needed by some cross-country vehicle transport businesses. If you wish to move your electric car from one US state to another, you will have to provide the following documentation:
- Copy of the car title or other ownership papers are examples of ownership documentation. You could be required to present a letter of authorization from the lien holder if a lien still covers the electric car.
- Insurance and registration.
- Identity: A legitimate photo ID or identification card is required.
- Reservation reference number.
- The person representing you will require a power of attorney if you cannot be present when your vehicle is transported.
You may also like the following electric car articles:
- How Does Cold Weather Affect Electric Car Performance?
- Do Electric Car Batteries Drain When Not in Use?
- Top Electric Car Chargers Manufacturers
- Is Electric Car Lease Worth It?
- Electric Car with 4-Wheel Drive
My name is Matthew, staying in Seattle, Washington. Electric Vehicles (Electric Cars & Electric bikes) caught my attention for the last few years and my love for electric cars and bikes is everlasting. I spend many of my weekends traveling to various places all over various cities with my electric vehicle (e-bike and electric car). Here I am sharing my expertise, experience, and invaluable information about electric cars and electric bikes. Check out more.