When an electric car ends up in a ditch, the recovery operator faces a different job than ten years ago. The vehicle is heavier because of the battery. It often cannot be towed on its wheels – the drivetrain can be damaged, so many models have to be lifted onto the flatbed. And if the battery is damaged, we are talking about a fire risk that can flare up hours after the incident itself.
In most countries this is still rare. In Norway it is everyday work. We have the world's densest fleet of electric vehicles, which means Norwegian recovery operators are building experience and routines that the rest of Europe's recovery industry will only need years from now.
It places demands on the work. The right lifting equipment. Training in handling high-voltage systems. Procedures for securing and, if needed, isolating vehicles with damaged batteries. And not least: documentation, because insurers and authorities want to know how an electric car was handled.
Toward 2030 this stops being a specialty for the few – it becomes basic competence. The question is not whether your station will handle electric vehicles, but how well equipped you are to do so safely and efficiently.
First article in the series leading up to Bergingsmesse Storefjell 2026.
On the road, all year round.