Yes — on a flatbed, with all four wheels off the road. All-wheel-drive, 4×4, electric and hybrid cars can be damaged when some of their wheels roll during a tow, so most owner's manuals call for a flatbed. With us the flatbed costs the same as any tow: $85 hook-up + $4 per loaded mile, quoted before the truck rolls.
Call dispatch — (414) 279-5510"Can you tow my all-wheel-drive car?" and "can you tow an electric car?" are two of the questions our dispatchers hear most. The answer to both is yes — the question is how. Here is why these cars ride on a flatbed, the other cars that should too, and what to tell the dispatcher so the right truck comes the first time.
Why all-wheel drive needs all four wheels off the road
An all-wheel-drive or 4×4 car sends power to both axles through differentials and, on many models, a transfer case or coupling that expects all four wheels to turn together. Lift one axle and let the other roll, and part of the drivetrain turns while the rest is held still. The parts in between slip against each other the whole way, building heat and wear that you may not notice until they fail later. That is why most manuals for these cars say to tow them with all four wheels off the ground — on a flatbed, or with dollies under the axle that would otherwise roll.
Why electric cars and hybrids ride on a flatbed
In an electric car, and in many hybrids, the electric motor is connected to the wheels. Rolling the wheels turns the motor, which can generate current into a system that is switched off, and some of these cars hold the wheels locked in park unless they have power. So the safe default — and what most manufacturers specify — is a flatbed. If the car is completely dead and will not go into neutral, the flatbed's winch still loads it, with wheel skates or dollies under any wheel that will not turn.
Low, long or damaged: other cars that should ride on a flatbed
Cars with low ground clearance, long front overhangs, air dams or lowered suspension can scrape on the lift and the ramp of a wheel-lift truck. A car with a locked wheel, a broken axle or accident damage may not roll straight at all. For all of these a flatbed is the gentler tool — and because 3 of our 5 trucks are flatbeds, sending one is normal dispatch, not an upgrade.
What to tell the dispatcher
Four details decide which truck and which equipment come to you:
- •Year, make and model — and whether it is all-wheel drive, 4×4, electric or hybrid, if you know.
- •Whether it will shift into neutral. Many electric and hybrid cars can only be put in neutral (or a tow mode) while the car still has 12-volt power.
- •Whether the key or key fob is with the car, and whether the wheels turn at all.
- •Where it is and where it is going — a street, a parking garage, a driveway — so the right truck and the right equipment roll the first time.
What it costs — and why the flatbed isn't extra
A car or light-truck tow starts at an $85 hook-up plus $4 per loaded mile, with the hook-up stepping up to $100 past 21 loaded miles — the same whether it rides on a flatbed or a wheel-lift, and the same at any hour. You hear the full number before the truck rolls. The whole rate card, with worked examples, is in our Milwaukee towing cost guide, and the three tow methods are compared in flatbed vs. wheel-lift.
AWD & electric car towing FAQ
Can a tow truck tow an AWD car with a wheel-lift?
Not safely in most cases. Lifting one axle while the other rolls makes an all-wheel-drive system turn part of the drivetrain against the rest, which strains the differentials and the transfer case. Most owner's manuals call for a flatbed or all four wheels off the ground. We send the flatbed for the same price — call (414) 279-5510.
Can you tow an electric car that is completely dead?
Yes. A dead electric car often cannot be shifted into neutral, so the wheels may be locked. The flatbed's winch pulls it onto the deck, with wheel skates or dollies under any wheel that will not turn, and all four wheels ride off the road. Tell the dispatcher the car will not power on and we come equipped for it.
Does a flatbed cost more?
Not with us. A car or light-truck tow is $85 hook-up plus $4 per loaded mile whether it rides on a flatbed or a wheel-lift, and the rate is the same at any hour. You hear the full price before the truck rolls.