Vehicles with both a plug and a spare are hard to find. Here’s a list of the ones we’ve uncovered you can buy in the U.S. market.
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As automakers shave costs anywhere they can with the goal of reducing their losses on electric vehicles, some safety features and amenities get the axe. One of the most common ways automakers shave a few bucks off their bottom line is by stealing your spare tire. Not every brand brand or model lacks a spare tire. Here is our list of the vehicles with a plug and a spare tire heading into 2025.
Our list covers both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles. We’ve been very careful to list the type of vehicle next to the vehicle so as not to offend the battery-only jihad. Our list also includes a description of the type of spare tire and whether the spare tire for this listed EV is standard, option, or by trim level.
Our prior listing had added in the Hummer from GMC. This new list adds a pair of plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles from Mazda and also the Cybertruck from Tesla. The folks at Mazda give you the spare tire at no added cost on all trims. The folks at Tesla, by contrast, want $1,250 for a spare tire. And when we checked, it was out of stock at Tesla. (Slow trombone sound).
What To Do If Your EV Has No Spare
If your electric vehicle has no spare tire, one option is to add one. Modern Spare is the first place to turn. This company earns high praise from customers and offers spare tires to suit a wide range of vehicles.
Another wise move is to know what your roadside assistance options are. Most brands offer roadside assistance for an initial period of three years. Some insurance companies offer it as part of you premium. For us, AAA is the only way to go, regardless of the vehicle model. We like the assurance that we can call America’s best roadside assistance network if we need a tow. AAA is also great at helping you to mount your spare. If your vehicle has one.
Why Bother With a Spare Tire?
AAA alone responds to about a half-million flat tire help calls each year. If you have never needed to use a spare tire, your odds are getting worse every year you drive. Be prepared.
Image of Tesla Cybertruck spare tire courtesy of Tesla, Inc. Image of Mazda CX-70 spare tire by John Goreham.
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John Goreham is a credentialed New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work on our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John's by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ Grammarly grammar and punctuation software when proofreading.
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