Now that they are increasingly common, you should know that it is completely safe to wash electric and hybrid cars in rollovers, tunnels and jet wash areas, assuring that this equipment will not cause damage to the electric system or the batteries. Today we tell you in our blog how to wash an electric or hybrid car, in response to any doubts about what these cars needs in terms of maintenance and care.

In fact, electric and hybrid vehicles are not so different to clean compared to diesel or petrol cars. In this regard, we advise following a series of general recommendations when using automatic and jet wash equipment in order to ensure the highest possible standards and maximum guarantees during the car wash process. 

Cleaning hybrid and electric cars in car wash tunnels

In car wash tunnels, the ignition should be on and the car should be in neutral with the handbrake disabled so that the drag train can pull on it in the car wash tunnel. Electric, hybrid and automatic cars should be in position "N" (neutral) to stop the wheels locking and allow the car to move through the car wash tunnel.

It is also advisable to disable all the automatic functions such as the front and rear windscreen wipers, folding in the wing mirrors, removing the aerial and any other protruding elements such as roof racks or other accessories, and finally checking that the windows and doors are properly closed.

Drivers of hybrid cars are advised to make sure they have sufficient battery before entering the tunnel so that the electric engine can be used during the wash.

Rollovers and jet wash areas

In rollovers and jet wash areas, we recommend washing the car with the engine switched off and the handbrake engaged.

With both cleaning options, it is also vital to ensure that there are no issues with the vehicle that are likely to be affected during the wash, as well as to remove any external elements that are not fixed to the vehicle. The windows, sun roof and doors and should also be fully closed. In rollovers, the wing mirrors must also be folded in and the aerial removed.

Other recommendations when using the jet wash include: making sure the cleaning product does not dry on the surface of the vehicle as this can dull the shine of metallic parts, selecting the appropriate wash gun for each stage, and spraying the vehicle from top to bottom, maintaining a minimum distance of 30 cm between the end of the hose and the vehicle.

In terms of choosing the right wash programs for tunnels, rollovers and jet wash areas, we recommend carrying out a pre-wash on the car with products designed to effectively remove even the most stubborn dirt, as well as using wax to protect the paintwork.