What Happens If An Electric Car’s Battery Runs Out While It’s Moving?

What happens when electric cars run out of electricity while driving? The German Automobile Club (ADAC) tested six models—BYD Seal, Nio EL6, Kia EV6, Tesla Model Y, Volvo EX40, and VW ID.3—at its site in Penzing, Bavaria, to explore this issue and the associated warnings.

All six cars behave similarly until, at some point, they stop without power. The first warning comes fairly early in most cars, when a range of 40 to 80 kilometers or 15 to 20 percent battery charge is displayed. Often, the battery symbol turns orange, or a note appears: “Battery low” or “Please charge soon.” There are no changes with power delivery at this stage.

The second phase usually occurs below ten percent of the battery charge, when, in some models, acoustic warnings appear in addition to visual warnings. Some vehicles also suggest energy-saving measures such as switching to eco mode or reducing heating or air conditioning. At this stage, the car can still be driven without major loss of power; only with strong acceleration is full power no longer available.

When the displayed remaining range drops into the single digits, many vehicles noticeably decrease in performance. The car can still be driven in this condition with reduced dynamics.

If you haven’t charged yet, you will see a zero displayed for both the remaining mileage and the battery charge level. Many electric cars now also have the turtle symbol.

In the test, electric cars switched to an emergency power reserve rather than shutting down like mobile phones. Six electric cars managed to travel 15 to 20 kilometers at a maximum speed of 50 km/h on this reserve. Power gradually decreases, making driving more challenging, but it may still be sufficient to reach the nearest charging station. Caution is necessary: the vehicle could shut down at any moment, so it should be parked safely by the roadside or in a parking lot.

When an electric vehicle runs out of energy, none of the systems work.

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