Polestar 2 & Volvo Plug-In Hybrid Towing in DFW

Electric vehicles use one or more electric motors that are directly connected to the drive wheels. Unlike a gasoline engine that disengages from the drivetrain when the car is in neutral, an EV's motor spins whenever its connected wheels turn — and a spinning motor acts as a generator, feeding electricity back into a system that may already be damaged or depleted. Wheel-down towing forces this regenerative cycle to occur uncontrolled, which can overheat motor windings, damage the inverter, and in worst cases cause thermal events.

Every major EV manufacturer — Tesla, Rivian, GM, Ford, Hyundai, Porsche — explicitly states in their owner's manuals that their vehicles must be transported on a flatbed with all four wheels off the ground. NW Towing enforces this without exception. If you're ever quoted a wheel-down or dolly tow for your EV by another company, end the call immediately.

Most modern EVs include a 'Transport Mode' or 'Tow Mode' accessible through the vehicle's infotainment screen. Activating this mode disables regenerative braking, prevents the car from locking while on the flatbed, and in some cases puts the 12V system in a low-power state that reduces drain during transport. For Teslas, Transport Mode is found in Controls → Service. For Rivians, it's in the Off-Road menu.

Our operators are trained on transport mode activation for the most common EVs in the DFW market before they attempt loading. For unfamiliar models, we carry printed reference sheets with the procedure for every major EV currently on the road. If transport mode cannot be activated due to a drained 12V battery, our operators know the external power supply procedures to bring the vehicle's systems online.

A collision-damaged EV presents hazards beyond those of a damaged gasoline vehicle. High-voltage battery packs can sustain internal damage that isn't visible externally, and a compromised lithium-ion cell can enter thermal runaway hours or even days after the initial damage event. For this reason, post-crash EVs should be stored away from other vehicles and structures until a qualified battery inspection has been performed.

NW Towing operators who handle post-accident EVs follow a specific protocol: they do not attempt to move the vehicle if any battery warning lights are active, they maintain communication with emergency services if the vehicle shows signs of active damage, and they transport the vehicle to a facility equipped to handle high-voltage systems. We do not transport visibly sparking or actively smoking EVs under any circumstances.