We recently became a 100% EV family ('23 Model Y and '20 Bolt, woohoo!), and as I was cleaning out my last gas car during trade-in, I found the jumper cables and thought, ‘Does carrying these around make sense anymore?’
Most EVs have low voltage 12V systems for accessories, but the battery power rating seems lower than gas cars since there’s no engine to crank. So, I doubt I could jump a gas car with my Tesla, and if my EV’s 12V battery was going bad, I’d probably get an alert before it left me stranded.
Any thoughts? Has anyone had their EV’s 12V battery die and leave the car inoperative? Has anyone successfully jumped a gas car with an EV? Thanks in advance!
Get a jump pack. I’ve carried one for over 10 years, and it’s about the size of a laptop battery. Costs around $60 (though there are fancier ones now), and I only charge it once a year. It’s great for jumping your car without risking damage to electronics by jumping others. Also, it doubles as a portable power bank.
Gabriel said:
My car’s manual says it can receive a jump if the 12V dies, so jumper cables could still be useful. But it also says not to jump other cars.
>also says to not jump other cars.
That’s a dealbreaker for me. I jump cars often with my TDI, which has a 120amp alternator.
We gave our jumper cables to a neighbor when they asked for a jump. We weren’t sure if it was wise to jump their car with our EVs. Now we just carry a jump start battery pack for safety and convenience.
Power rating doesn’t matter. It’s still a 12V battery, so you can jump it like any other.
Yes, my 12V died when my SO left the car in accessory mode overnight. Also, I’ve jumped a gas car with my EV when her power bank drained the battery. EV 12V systems are still robust enough to power essential electronics like lights, steering, and brakes.
You can jump a Tesla in a pinch, but it’s better to use a jump box. Never use a Tesla to jump-start another car, as voltage spikes could damage your EV’s electronics.