Breakdown cover is a type of insurance for when your car breaks down. In some cases, it might be included as part of your car insurance or provided by the dealership when you first buy a car or available through a packaged bank account. It’s designed to give you peace of mind if you’re having trouble on the side of the road and get you out of trouble.
Typically, breakdown cover provides roadside assistance, repairs or towing if your vehicle breaks down due to a mechanical failure, electrical issue, flat tyres or a flat battery, among other things. You’re also able to customise your policy if you’re at home and your car doesn’t start, or you want to continue your journey despite breaking down.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are also liable to break down, and as electric vehicle adoption grows across the UK, breakdown support has evolved to meet these needs. Providers such as The AA have trained patrols available to support electric and hybrid drivers.
EVs can break down for many of the same reasons as a petrol car. In fact, because there are significantly fewer moving parts, there are fewer things that can go wrong with an EV. But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen, and EVs have different failure points compared to petrol or diesel cars.
The most common issues for EV cars include battery depletion or charging failure, software or system errors, electrical faults preventing the vehicle from operating and standard mechanical issues such as tyres or brakes.
While there is a common misconception that people might get stranded on the side of the road because their car has run out of battery, it actually only accounts for a small percentage of EV breakdowns.
Below is a table with some common problems that all cars might face.
| Cause of breakdown | EV risk level | ICE risk level | Reality in 2026 | How breakdown providers can help |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12V auxiliary battery | High | Moderate | Batteries can get drained in all cars. When it happens in an EV, the main battery can’t engage. In a petrol car, it’s possible to jump-start this, but with an EV you need to charge the battery first before being able to turn the car back on. | Providers like RAC and The AA offer emergency roadside charging to give your electric vehicle enough charge to get to a nearby charger. |
| Software/firmware bugs | High | Low | EVs rely on software to run. If there’s a problem or bug, it can cause issues that might require a software update to resolve. | If this happens, call a provider like the AA with a patrol force trained to diagnose EV system issues. |
| Tyre and suspension wear | Moderate | Low | EVs are generally heavier because of the battery packs, which can cause the tyres to wear out up to 20% faster. This extra weight can also have the same impact on suspension. | The AA offers 24/7 roadside assistance for tyre issues, so contact them to immediately get the help you need. |
| Drivetrain/motor failure | Low | High | With significantly fewer moving parts in the motor, mechanical drivetrain failure is extremely rare in EVs compared to other cars. | If this does happen, and it cannot be fixed at the roadside, a provider such as The AA will tow you to the nearest garage. |
EV breakdown cover includes many of the same things as standard breakdown cover. As the table above shows, all cars experience similar problems. However, specialist EV roadside assistance is important, so look for a provider that will give you what you need, otherwise you could be waiting longer than necessary to get back on the road.
You should look for a provider that offers:
Get to safety.
When an EV breaks down, the first thing you’ll need to do is try to park the car somewhere safe.
Contact your provider.
Then you’ll contact your breakdown provider, which will be by phone or the provider’s app. The provider will get your details and location and then dispatch a patrol vehicle with EV training to you.
They'll diagnose the issue.
When they arrive they’ll try to work out the problem and attempt to repair it at the roadside.
Recovery arrangement.
If that’s not possible then they’ll arrange for recovery to a suitable location.
The major breakdown cover providers aim to reach most customers within an hour, but this will depend on a range of factors.
To better understand the impact of electric vehicle breakdowns, we wanted to get a firsthand experience of an unexpected breakdown:
"Excited with the purchase of my brand-new, fully electric Volvo EX40, I set off on a day trip to Longleat Safari Park with my 2 sons. It was my second ever trip in the car, and all was going well until we reached the entrance to the safari enclosure itself.
Less than 5 meters from the bit where the lions are, the car suddenly lost all power, and we were stuck. Luckily, we weren’t completely blocking the entrance, and other visitors could get around us. Even more luckily, we were just out of harm’s way from the local inhabitants.
Thankfully we had breakdown cover, and they dispatched a local recovery firm to help out. After a very long wait, involving trips to the café to bribe the kids and make up for the aborted safari trip, and redirecting the recovery driver who had driven to the other side of the park, the car was dragged kicking and screaming onto the back of a flatbed truck.
It was dropped at a local garage, never to be seen again, and, after much back and forth, Volvo confirmed it was a battery issue and refunded the purchase price, which was put towards an MG ZS electric car that, touch wood, is proving much more reliable!"
A range of providers offer EV breakdown services, but we’ve included the 3 biggest ones below.
The AA offers comprehensive coverage with more than 2,500 patrols trained in EV systems. These provide specialised roadside, home and national recovery services. The AA’s Freewheeling Hub is a clever way for AA patrols to safely tow vehicles, such as electric vehicles and SUVs, which normally cannot be lifted and towed. 92% of AA customers we surveyed in 2026 said they would recommend it.
With its All-Wheels-Up lifting technology on standard patrol vans, RAC patrols are able to safely recover EVs without needing a dedicated flatbed truck. This can come in handy when an EV is out of battery and can’t be moved. In our 2026 survey, 88% of RAC customers said they would recommend it.
Green Flag are normally the cheapest option of the three providers here, with regular deals to attract customers away from the others above. The trade-off with that value is not all patrols are the same, so some will come with similar towing capabilities as the ones above, but others will just be standard flatbed tow trucks. 91% of Green Flag customers we surveyed in 2026 told us they would recommend it.
Yes, specialist EV breakdown cover is necessary because EVs require specialist handling from providers like The AA, which offers trained patrols and equipment designed specifically for electric vehicles.
With their high high-voltage systems, EVs must be managed safely. The recovery methods differ from conventional vehicles and diagnostics rely more on electronic systems than other cars.
If you’re going to be paying for breakdown cover, it’s important that you have the right cover for your needs.
No, it is not a legal requirement. But having breakdown cover can save you a lot of money in potential callout fees and also give you peace of mind. You never know when you might need it.
In many cases they can be, but it will depend on the problem. Breakdown cover providers like The AA and RAC can fix many EV issues at the roadside using trained patrols and specialist tools.
If an EV runs out of charge, your breakdown cover provider will attempt to assist at the roadside or recover the vehicle to a charging point or suitable destination. Many patrols will have mobile chargers to give your car enough charge so you can drive to a proper charging point or back home so it can be charged properly.
High-speed driving and climate control (specifically heating) are the biggest drains on an electric vehicle battery.
In some cases it will, but it depends on the policy and the provider. Sometimes it can be added on to a policy. Check the terms and conditions to make sure you’re covered if you need it. In some cases it will, but it depends on the policy and the provider. Sometimes it can be added on to a policy. Check the terms and conditions to make sure you’re covered if you need it.
You could get cover for as little as £5 a month, but what you pay depends on your vehicle and the lever of cover you opt for. Some packaged bank accounts will include breakdown cover, so check to see if you have that option.
EVs break down less often than other cars because they don’t have as many things that could go wrong.
AA’s breakdown data shows that running out of charge, while already unusual, is becoming increasingly rare, with less than 2% of EV breakdowns relating to a lack of charge in the drive batteries.
The AA will attempt to assist at the roadside or recover the vehicle to a charging point or suitable destination.
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