If you have a gasoline car and the battery runs dry, it’s better to jump-start using a similar gas-powered donor car than an EV. The 12-volt battery in most new electric vehicles cannot handle the vast currents necessary to start a gas engine, so it’s best to keep electric cars away from jumper cables even in an emergency. Moreover, doing so could damage the electricals and void the EV warranty.
But what if it’s the other way around? What if the 12-volt battery in an EV dies? Could you use a gas car to jump-start the 12-volt EV battery? The answer is yes, and the process is similar to jump-starting a gasoline car. Make sure to park the vehicles near but not touching each other. Grab the jumper cables, attach the red positive (+) cable to the discharged battery’s positive (+) terminal, and connect the other end to the positive (+) terminal of the donor battery.
Next, attach the black negative (-) cable to the donor battery’s negative (-) terminal before connecting the other end to a negative (-) grounding point of the dead battery. Start the donor vehicle, let it idle for two to five minutes, and try starting the EV. The last step is to eliminate the jumper cables in the reverse order. Start by disconnecting the negative before the positive wires to avoid grounds or short-circuiting the cars.
