Tip #77: Rivian, Lucid and every other EV go on a flatbed, no exceptions
Electric vehicles, including Rivian trucks and SUVs, should ride on a flatbed with all four wheels off the ground. Tell the dispatcher the make and model so the right truck comes the first time.
Tip #77 in one line
Electric vehicles, including Rivian trucks and SUVs, should ride on a flatbed with all four wheels off the ground. Tell the dispatcher the make and model so the right truck comes the first time.
Stuck right now? Skip the reading and call.
Call nowOne rule for every electric vehicle
An electric vehicle's wheels are connected to its motors. Rolling those wheels down the road can push current back through a drivetrain that is switched off and not designed for it, and many EVs drive all four wheels anyway. The safe default for every EV, from a compact hatchback to a full-size electric pickup, is a flatbed. Your owner's manual will say the same thing in its towing section.
Rivian's R1T and R1S are heavy, tall and wide compared with a sedan. So are many other electric trucks and three-row SUVs. When you call (908) 444-0129, give the make, the model and the trim if you know it. The dispatcher matches the bed and the winch to the weight, and if the vehicle is outside what a standard flatbed carries, says so plainly and arranges the right truck from our heavy-duty side.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowThe 12-volt question
Like most EVs, a Rivian relies on a low-voltage system to wake up, unlock and release its parking brake. If the vehicle is completely dark, say so. A dead low-voltage system is a different problem from an empty main battery, and it changes what the driver brings. The owner's manual describes how the vehicle is prepared for towing; read it while you wait, or have it open on your phone.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowWhere it goes
You choose the destination: a service center, a body shop, a charger, or home. The quote is given on the phone before the truck leaves the yard: a flat hook fee plus a per-mile rate. There are no night, weekend or holiday surcharges. For a longer trip to a service center outside the area, ask about long-distance towing.
If the vehicle is damaged after a collision, call 911 first if anyone is hurt, then call us for accident towing. Tell the driver if any warning about the high-voltage battery appeared, and keep people away from a pack that is smoking or hissing.
A practical point for big electric trucks and SUVs: loading takes space. Tell the dispatcher if the vehicle is in a tight driveway, a narrow street, a garage with a low ceiling or a lot with a gate. The driver can plan where to set up the bed so the vehicle comes straight up without turning on the ramp.
Also say whether a trailer, a bike rack or a roof tent is attached. A hitch-mounted rack can catch on the bed's edge, and a trailer has to be handled separately. Remove anything loose from the bed of an electric pickup before loading, or tell the driver what is back there.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowMore on vehicle types
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- EV towing in New Jersey: what electric car owners need to know
- Motorcycle towing done right: what riders should expect
- Tip #26: An all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive car belongs on a flatbed
- Tip #27: Never let anyone tow an electric car with its drive wheels on the ground
- Tip #28: Tell the dispatcher your car sits low before the truck is sent
- Tip #29: Know where your motorcycle can be strapped before it needs a tow
- Tip #30: Your car may be all-wheel drive even if it does not look like it
- Tip #31: Close and latch a convertible top before the car is towed
- All posts
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