EV Jump-Starts – Is It Possible?

a woman plugging a 2023 Chevy bolt ev in


It may be easy to think that electric vehicles simply have one large battery pack that powers everything. However, that’s not always the case as some EVs have a 12-volt battery in addition to the large battery pack that powers the vehicle. The 12-volt battery in EVs is similar to the 12-volt batteries found in standard vehicles with an internal combustion engine. The 12-volt battery in electric vehicles is often designed to power accessories and minor electrical components on your Lawrenceville adventures.

Sometimes, if you’ve left a light on or maybe something plugged in, the 12-volt battery will be fully drained and your electric vehicle won’t start. So, can you jump-start an EV? If your EV has a 12-volt battery, you can likely have it jump-started by another vehicle. We recommend you reference your owner’s manual or schedule a service appointment with our experts to confirm if your specific EV can be jump-started. With that in mind, learn about EV jump-starts today with the service experts at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Duluth and we’ll even help you answer the question, “Can you jump-start a car with an EV?”


How To Perform an EV Jump-Start

Keep in mind that you should never attempt to jump-start the lithium-ion battery pack in your electric vehicle. The only battery that should be jumped in your EV is the 12-volt battery. With that out of the way, here’s how to jump-start your EV if you find that you’re stranded in Suwanee:

  1. Park both vehicles close to each other so that the jumper cables can reach the jumping points easily.
  2. With both cars off, connect the red clamp on the jumper cable to the positive terminal on the EV.
  3. Connect the other red clamp to the positive terminal on the vehicle with the working battery.
  4. The black clamp on the jumper cable should now be attached to the negative terminal on the vehicle with the working battery.
  5. The final black clamp should be connected to an unpainted metal surface on the EV to ground the connection.
  6. Start the vehicle with the good battery.
  7. After a few minutes, start the EV.

Can You Jump-Start a Car with an EV?

You can jump-start an EV with a regular car, but can you jump-start a car with an EV? No, you should rarely use your electric vehicle to jump-start another car. Doing so can cause damage to your electric vehicle. If you have an electric vehicle and someone you know needs a jump-start in Johns Creek, we recommend you assist them with getting a roadside assistance service or finding someone else to jump-start their vehicle.

Learn About EV Jump-Starts & Other Service Tips With Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Duluth!

Our experts in Duluth are dedicated to helping you keep your vehicle in excellent shape. From EV maintenance to other service tips, you can count on us to assist. Let us know today if you have any questions!

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*2024 Tahoe & 2024 Suburban 0% APR for 60 months. Monthly payment is $16.67 for every $1,000 you finance. Example down payment: 10.6%. Must finance with GM Financial. Some customers may not qualify. Not available with lease and some other offers. Take new retail delivery 6/30/2025..**Savings include all dealer discounts, conditional OEM incentives, and non conditional OEM stackable incentives. Savings vary by model and stock number. Not available with lease and some other offers. Not available with lease and some other offers. Take new retail delivery by 6/30/2025.***Well-qualified customers who purchase a new, used, or certified pre-owned vehicle, 4 model years or newer with less than 60K miles between June 1 2025 and July 31, 2025, and finance through a participating dealer and lender have the option to defer monthly payments for 90 days from contract date. Finance charges begin to accrue on the date you sign the Retail Installment Sale Contract at the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) disclosed in the contract. May not be combined with other preferred lender financing offers. 72 months maximum term limit. Equal monthly payments only. Not available to Pennsylvania residents; see your dealer for details. Must take retail delivery by July 31, 2025. See dealer for complete down payment and interest rate options and details.

*2025 Equinox EV | 2025 Blazer EV | 2025 Silverado EV 0% APR for 60 months for well-qualified buyers when financed w/GM Financial. Monthly payment is $16.67 for every $1,000 you finance. Example down payment: 19.5%. Must finance with GM Financial. Down payment required at signing, if applicable. Some customers may not qualify. Not available with lease and some other offers. Take new retail delivery by 6/30/2025.**To qualify for the GM Limited Time Special, you must: (1) be a current Costco Gold Star, Business, or Executive level Member by June 2, 2025; (2) register with Costco Auto Program online or through its call center by July 31, 2025, to receive a certificate with your unique promotion code; (3) present your certificate and unique promotion code to any Chevrolet dealer at time of visit; (4a) take delivery between June 3, 2025, and July 31, 2025, of a new 2024, 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV, Equinox EV, or 2024, 2025, 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV; (4b) take delivery between June 3, 2025, and July 31, 2025, of a new 2024, 2025 Chevrolet Colorado; (4c) take delivery between June 3, 2025, and July 31, 2025, of a new 2025 Chevrolet BrightDrop 400, BrightDrop 600 to receive a $2,750 Gold Star/Business Membership Costco member-only incentive or $3,000 Executive level Membership Costco member-only incentive. Incentive will be applied at time of eligible purchase or lease and is compatible with current eligible manufacturer incentives for which you qualify. Incentive is subject to change due to vehicle inventory availability. Visit CostcoAuto.com/GM for full details. Costco and its affiliates do not sell automobiles or negotiate individual transactions.***For Current Lessees of a 2020 model year or newer GM or Non-GM passenger car or truck at least 30 days prior to the lease of a new GM vehicle through GM Financial. Customer remains responsible for current lease payments. Each dealer sets own price. $289/month for 24 months. Your payments may vary. Payments are for a 2025 CHEVROLET Equinox EV 2WD LT with an MSRP of $34,995. Based on due at signing amount of $2,399 (after all offers). 24 monthly payments total $6,936. Must show proof of lease. Option to purchase at lease end for an amount to be determined at lease signing. Lessor must approve lease. Lessee pays for maintenance, repair, excess wear and disposition fee of $395 or less at end of lease. No security deposit required. Payments may be higher in some states. Not available with other offers. Take new retail delivery by 6/30/2025.

*2025 CHEVROLET Equinox EV 0% APR for 60 months for well-qualified buyers when financed w/GM Financial. Monthly payment is $16.67 for every $1000 you finance. Average down payment is 22.6%. Some customers will not qualify. Take new retail delivery by 6/30/2025. **Savings include all dealer discounts, conditional OEM incentives, and non conditional OEM stackable incentives. Savings vary by model and stock number. Not available with lease and some other offers. Not available with lease and some other offers. Take new retail delivery by 6/30/2025. ***Well-qualified customers who purchase a new, used, or certified pre-owned vehicle, 4 model years or newer with less than 60K miles between June 1 2025 and July 31, 2025, and finance through a participating dealer and lender have the option to defer monthly payments for 90 days from contract date. Finance charges begin to accrue on the date you sign the Retail Installment Sale Contract at the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) disclosed in the contract. May not be combined with other preferred lender financing offers. 72 months maximum term limit. Equal monthly payments only. Not available to Pennsylvania residents; see your dealer for details. Must take retail delivery by July 31, 2025. See dealer for complete down payment and interest rate options and details.

*Savings include all dealer discounts, conditional OEM incentives, and non conditional OEM stackable incentives. Savings vary by model and stock number. Not available with lease and some other offers. Not available with lease and some other offers. Take new retail delivery by 6-30-2025. **Well-qualified customers who purchase a new, used, or certified pre-owned vehicle, 4 model years or newer with less than 60K miles between June 1 2025 and July 31, 2025, and finance through a participating dealer and lender have the option to defer monthly payments for 90 days from contract date. Finance charges begin to accrue on the date you sign the Retail Installment Sale Contract at the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) disclosed in the contract. May not be combined with other preferred lender financing offers. 72 months maximum term limit. Equal monthly payments only. Not available to Pennsylvania residents; see your dealer for details. Must take retail delivery by July 31, 2025. See dealer for complete down payment and interest rate options and details.

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