Electric Vehicle Shipping — Safe Transport for EVs and Hybrids

EV shipping costs about the same as shipping a gas car of similar size on the same route, with a modest premium for very heavy vehicles that take more trailer capacity.

Get an instant number with our car shipping calculator.

• Charge to roughly 20–50% — enough to load and unload, not a full charge
• Turn off Sentry Mode, camp mode and any scheduled climate or charging
• Know how to enable Transport or Tow Mode and tell the driver
• Disable or note automatic features like auto-park or walk-away lock if they could interfere with loading
• Pack the mobile charging cable and adapters in the car, or ship them separately
• Remove personal items, toll tags and parking passes
• Photograph the car and note existing marks
• Leave a key card or fob with the driver, plus phone-key instructions if needed

• Tesla Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X and Cybertruck
• Rivian R1T, R1S and R2
• Lucid Air and Gravity
• Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning
• Chevrolet Bolt, Equinox EV, Blazer EV and Silverado EV
• Hyundai Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6 and Kia EV6, EV9
• Polestar, VinFast, Volvo EX models, BMW i and Mercedes EQ
• Plug-in hybrids and hybrid cars

Most of the process is the same — licensed carrier, inspection, Bill of Lading, door-to-door delivery. The differences are:

• Weight: Battery packs make EVs heavier than similar gas cars, which affects how carriers plan loads. See EV weight and carrier capacity.
• Charge level: Aim for about 30–50% charge at pickup — not full and not nearly empty.
• Loading: Drivers need to know how to put the car in transport or tow mode, and which tie-down points to use.
• Software settings: Sentry-style camera modes, scheduled climate and automatic updates should be turned off.
• Keys: Phone-as-key doesn't work for the driver; leave a key card or fob.

• Tesla: Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X and Cybertruck. See Tesla shipping cost.
• Rivian: R1T and R1S, which are heavy and often priced like full-size trucks and SUVs.
• Ford: Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning.
• Chevrolet and GMC: Bolt, Equinox EV, Silverado EV, Hummer EV.
• Hyundai, Kia and Genesis: Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, EV6, EV9, GV60.
• Lucid, Porsche and others: Lucid Air, Porsche Taycan, BMW i4 and iX, Mercedes EQ models — often shipped enclosed.

Plug-in hybrids ship the same way, though some ocean carriers treat them like EVs.

Shipping your EV on a car carrier can be more efficient than driving it across the country. One truck moves up to eight to ten vehicles at once, so the fuel used per vehicle is relatively low. It also avoids hundreds of charging stops on a long trip and keeps thousands of miles off your battery and tires. For many owners, eco-friendly auto shipping is as much about protecting the car as reducing the footprint of the move.

Ocean carriers set their own EV rules, and some have restricted EVs and plug-in hybrids on certain routes. If you're shipping to Hawaii, Alaska or overseas, we confirm acceptance with the vessel line before booking. See shipping a car to Hawaii or Alaska, California to Hawaii and international car shipping.

• Compare the battery percentage with your pickup photo.
• Look for warning messages on the dashboard or app.
• Inspect the wheels, glass roof and charge port door.
• Re-enable Sentry or monitoring modes and automatic updates.
• Charge the car before a long drive.

Note anything unusual on the Bill of Lading before signing. For more, read EV shipping and battery safety.

Many EV buyers find the right car hundreds of miles away. We coordinate pickup with the dealer, private seller or online retailer and deliver to your door. Before booking, confirm the seller has removed the car from their app account and that you'll receive a key card or fob. See buying a car online.