Electric vehicles have a unique problem that gas-powered vehicles do not have. What happens if you run out of charge on the side of the road? You can’t just call for a roadside charge to recharge your Tesla. Or can you? AAA might have something in the works.

Don’t panic if your Tesla runs out of charge

If you’ve ever been in an electric vehicle or Tesla, you know how many different ways there are to tell how much charge you have. The dashboard shows how far you have driven since your last charge and the amount of charge left.

There are many different warnings to let you know when your car is running out of charge. Besides, electric car drivers seem to be more in tune with how far the car will go.

In the video below, you can see a Tesla actually running out of charge. If you ignore all of the warnings and keep forging ahead, your EV will reach 0 km on the dash and eventually stop.

In the case of a Tesla, a warning appears and says, “Battery power very low. Heating and A/C reduced.” The next warning says, “Car shutting down, pull over safely.” An alarm sounds, and the Tesla loses power.

Once plugged in, the EV charges a little slower than normal but charges just fine. It definitely is not a good idea to run down your electric vehicle regularly.

Can you tow your Tesla?

If your Tesla Model Y dies, don’t panic! Tesla does offer a setting called “tow mode,” which allows the car to be towed. You place the vehicle in park, and then you can be towed by another vehicle. You should note that power steering will not work in tow mode.

Some electric cars don’t have a neutral position like gas-powered cars. Your EV likely needs to go on a flatbed to ensure it does not get damaged. Companies can tow your car to a charging station or home so that you can get a charge.

This might be a problem of the past soon

As we progress toward an all-electric future, the charging infrastructure is expanding every day. Perhaps soon, running out of charge on the side of the road won’t even be an issue. Elon Musk will be thrilled!

The government is pushing to increase the number of electric vehicles on the road, and with that, more charging stations will pop up. If more electric vehicles are produced in America, and more people are driving EVs, charging stations will increase.

Back in 2011, AAA introduced a program to offer roadside charging. The program was mostly in high-density areas like California and Orlando, where drivers would need it most.

When asked for comment, AAA noted that the “original prototype vehicles (five total) have been retired.” But all hope is not lost. It sounds like the company has not written off the service entirely.

“AAA believes there is a place for mobile electric vehicle charging as part of our roadside assistance services. We are currently evaluating all of the available options so that we can deliver to our members the solution that best suits their needs.”

Ellen Edmonds | AAA

It sounds like something is in the works. For now, charge your Tesla!