Is It Possible to Jump Start an EV?

2023 Kia EV6 Driving on Desert Road

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 Raleigh 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 Hendrick Kia of Cary and we’ll even help you answer the question, “Can you jump-start a car with an EV?”

Service Department Service Tips

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 Durham:

Park both vehicles close to each other so that the jumper cables can reach the jumping points easily.
With both cars off, connect the red clamp on the jumper cable to the positive terminal on the EV.
Connect the other red clamp to the positive terminal on the vehicle with the working battery.
The black clamp on the jumper cable should now be attached to the negative terminal on the vehicle with the working battery.
The final black clamp should be connected to an unpainted metal surface on the EV to ground the connection.
Start the vehicle with the good battery.
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 Apex, 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 Hendrick Kia of Cary!

Our experts in Cary 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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Well-qualified customers who purchase a new, used, or certified pre-owned vehicle, 4 model years or newer with less than 60K miles between May 1 2025 and May 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 May 31, 2025. See dealer for complete down payment and interest rate options and details.

*0% APR up to 72 months. 0% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) up to 72 months. $13.89 per month per $1,000 financed at 72 months. 5.00% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) up to 84 months. $14.13 per month per $1,000 financed at 84 months. APR financing subject to credit approval by Kia Finance America (KFA), through KFA, for well-qualified buyers and not available on balloon financing. Only a limited number of customers will qualify for advertised APR. Subject to vehicle availability and dealer participation. New vehicles only. This incentive is a limited-time offer on eligible Kia vehicles. APR Bonus Cash must be applied as a down payment and is not available on leases. No cash value. Offers may not be combined except where specified. Must take delivery from a participating dealer and from retail stock by 6/2/2025. Dealer contribution may vary and could affect actual monthly payment. See your participating Kia dealer for more details. Finance contract must be signed and dated no later than 6/2/2025. Limited inventory available.

*1.90% APR up to 60 months. 1.90% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) up to 60 months. $17.48 per month per $1,000 financed at 60 months. 2.49% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) up to 66 months. $16.23 per month per $1,000 financed at 66 months. 3.49% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) up to 72 months. $15.41 per month per $1,000 financed at 72 months. 6.25% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) up to 84 months. $14.73 per month per $1,000 financed at 84 months. APR financing subject to credit approval by Kia Finance America (KFA), through KFA, for well-qualified buyers and not available on balloon financing. Only a limited number of customers will qualify for advertised APR. Subject to vehicle availability and dealer participation. New vehicles only. This incentive is a limited-time offer on eligible Kia vehicles. Offers may not be combined except where specified. Must take delivery from a participating dealer and from retail stock by 06/02/2025. Dealer contribution may vary and could affect actual monthly payment. See your participating Kia dealer for more details. Finance contract must be signed and dated no later than 06/02/2025. Limited inventory available.

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*2.90% APR up to 48 months. 2.90% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) up to 48 months. $22.09 per month per $1,000 financed at 48 months. 3.99% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) up to 60 months. $18.41 per month per $1,000 financed at 60 months. 4.75% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) up to 66 months. $17.25 per month per $1,000 financed at 66 months. 4.99% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) up to 72 months. $16.10 per month per $1,000 financed at 72 months. 7.00% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) up to 84 months. $15.09 per month per $1,000 financed at 84 months. APR financing subject to credit approval by Kia Finance America (KFA), through KFA, for well-qualified buyers and not available on balloon financing. Only a limited number of customers will qualify for advertised APR. Subject to vehicle availability and dealer participation. New vehicles only. This incentive is a limited-time offer on eligible Kia vehicles. Offers may not be combined except where specified. Must take delivery from a participating dealer and from retail stock by 06/02/2025. Dealer contribution may vary and could affect actual monthly payment. See your participating Kia dealer for more details. Finance contract must be signed and dated no later than 06/02/2025. Limited inventory available.