A debate in the UK house of Lords has proved to be an unlikely setting to highlight the difficulty in moving electric vehicles when broken down or simply out of charge. In discussions on the future of Smart motorways, Transport Minister Baroness Vere said that she was ‘astonished’ to learn that electric cars do not coast and cannot be towed.

The UK has said it will now review the potential hazards posed by electric cars in breakdown situations on the road. This also reflects concerns voiced by recovery operators both in Ireland and the UK about the increased complexity in recovering electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles were seen as a particular danger on Smart motorways where the hard shoulder is often used as a moving lane. These are increasingly used in UK urban areas where congestion is a major issue. However, as electric cars can stop suddenly and cannot be towed, but require lifting and a low loader, the risk to recovery teams becomes much greater.

Real world tests by Carwow on popular electric cars found they were prone to lock up when totally out of power, meaning they will not roll or cannot be pushed. Moving electric vehicle without power can also seriously damage the motor and drive systems.