Wondering How to Wash Electric Cars? Use These Tips
Part of electric car maintenance is keeping the vehicle clean. With more people investing in electric cars these days, it is essential for car wash owners and their employees to understand the most effective ways of how to wash electric cars correctly.Can Electric Cars Go in Car Washes?
Even though electricity and water do not mix, electric cars can go in car washes, with a few exceptions. The most important exception is electric cars should never be taken through a soft-touch brush-based car wash.These types of car washes can damage electric vehicles in various ways, especially to the sensors used for advanced safety features. Potential water damage can also occur to the charging port as the brushes can force water in through the charging port door.
So, the best car washes to use for electric vehicles are touchless washes or self-serve washes.
Touchless Car Wash Tips
Touchless car washes can include ones where the customer pulls their car into the wash bay, and the wash system moves around the vehicle, or an automatic wash that pulls the vehicle through the wash.- Make sure the vehicle has been put in neutral following the manufacturer’s instructions. Teslas and other electric vehicles will only remain in neutral for a short period. However, there is a way to put the car into neutral for transport purposes so that the conveyor can move it safely through the car wash. Otherwise, the vehicle could put itself back into gear.
- Make sure the charging port door is closed. To keep excessive water from getting into the charging port, take the time to verify the door is closed and latched shut.
- Avoid using high-pressure on cameras and sensors on the vehicle. The wash settings may need adjusting to avoid potential damage to exterior cameras and sensors on the vehicle.
- Any excess water should be dried off using a microfiber cloth. Once the car exits the car wash, you want to remove all excess water, including water on the cameras and sensors. Carefully open the charging port door and dry off the inside of the door and any water that gets inside.
Self-Serve Car Wash Tips
Self-serve car washes offer more flexibility since the vehicle owner is washing the vehicle themselves. However, there are still several essential tips they should follow, including:- Turn the car off. The vehicle should be powered down before it is washed.
- Close all windows and doors. This should be a given, but you would be surprised by how many people forget to roll their windows up on those hot summer days!
- Verify the charging port door is closed. The charging port door should be securely closed before washing the vehicle.
- Never use the wash brush on the vehicle, except the tires. It is okay to use the foaming wash brush on the tires and wheels, but that is it. Otherwise, exterior cameras and sensors could be misaligned or damaged.
- Be careful when using high-pressure water. Vehicle owners need to be careful not to spray high-pressure water directly onto exterior cameras and sensors.
- Dry off any excess water with a microfiber towel. Excess water should be dried off, including inside the charging port door.
Learning how to wash a Tesla and other electric vehicles is not complicated when using these tips for touchless and self-serve car washes.