Leaving your EV parked for weeks or months in Saudi Arabia

A useful plan answers three questions: what should be done before departure, what needs checking while you are away, and what would make the car unsafe to drive on your return. You do not need to dismantle anything to prepare that information.

Start with the correct vehicle instructions

Find the storage or extended-parking section in the owner's manual for your model year and original sales market. For an imported car, confirm that the manual matches its specification. A battery-electric vehicle, plug-in hybrid and range-extender can require different preparation; a vehicle with a combustion engine also needs its applicable engine and fuel-system instructions.

If the manual is missing, ask the vehicle supplier or manufacturer to identify the correct document. Keep a copy accessible before travelling. Do not substitute a general battery-care article for the vehicle's storage procedure, particularly if the car already has a warning, a damaged charging port or an unresolved electrical fault.

Decide the charging plan before you leave

There is no single instruction to unplug every EV or leave every EV connected. The Tesla Model 3 manual, for example, recommends remaining plugged in when not in use, especially over several weeks. The same page advises approximately 50% charge for long storage and staying connected if possible. It also describes parked energy use for checks and low-voltage battery support. These are Model 3 instructions, not a rule for all EVs.

Charge targets are also vehicle-specific. Volvo's support guidance gives a 40-50% range for storage longer than one month for fully electric cars and directs owners to their model's manual. This is an example, not a target for every vehicle sold in Saudi Arabia.

Daily charging advice may differ from storage advice, even for the same battery chemistry. The 2024 Mustang Mach-E manual illustrates this distinction for its LFP battery. Follow the guidance for your own car rather than choosing a storage limit solely because it has an LFP or NCM battery.

Write down the intended charge limit, whether the car should remain connected and what to do if the supply stops. Where continued charging is recommended, confirm that the equipment is suitable and working before departure. An app connection alone does not establish that electricity is reaching the vehicle. Do not leave damaged or malfunctioning charging equipment in service. For example, Tesla's Universal Wall Connector safety instructions prohibit using defective equipment. Follow the instructions for your actual charger.

Treat the auxiliary battery as a separate question

Do not disconnect the low-voltage battery or attach a generic maintainer simply because you will be away for six weeks. First confirm the battery type, the vehicle's procedure and any effect on access or vehicle functions. Tesla's Model 3 instructions distinguish lead-acid and lithium-ion low-voltage batteries and use different jump-start procedures. The familiar label “12V battery” is not enough to select equipment or an intervention.

If the car has recently needed external power, shown low-voltage warnings or failed to wake normally, raise that before leaving. Ask what can be tested and whether further work is needed. A fixed number of parked weeks cannot predict whether a particular battery will fail.

Choose the parking position and check the tyres

Prefer a suitable secure, shaded or covered location where available, and follow the vehicle's environmental limits. Tesla's hot-weather guidance includes shade as a way to reduce cabin temperature and power consumption. Shade does not guarantee battery condition or replace the rest of the storage plan.

Use the cold tyre pressures specified for the vehicle and approved tyre configuration, with any model-specific storage instructions checked separately. If tyre size has changed, obtain the correct recommendation rather than assuming the original placard still applies unchanged. Michelin's passenger-tyre guidance advises against increasing pressure above the vehicle placard simply to prevent flat spotting. Do not add a fixed number of PSI to every car.

Secure the vehicle according to its parking instructions. Do not leave it unsecured or override parking-brake operation on the basis of generic storage advice. Close and lock it as instructed; a recommendation to leave windows partly open is not a universal storage solution.

Leave a simple record and a realistic checking plan

Keep a dated note with the odometer reading, displayed charge, tyre-pressure check, existing warnings and recent maintenance. Where someone will look after the car, agree what they may check and whom they should contact. Do not assume they can safely perform electrical work or move a vehicle with an unresolved warning.

Review optional parked features and monitoring settings against the manual. Decide what needs to remain active and what is unnecessary during the absence. Change optional parked features only as permitted in the manual; do not bypass battery-management protections or vehicle safety systems. Agree the checking frequency from the manufacturer's guidance and the actual parking arrangements, rather than a universal weekly or monthly rule.

On return check before planning a long drive

Start with a visual check from outside. Look for obvious tyre damage, fluid beneath the vehicle, damage to the charging connection or anything unusual around the parked car. Check pressures when the tyres are cold and read any vehicle warnings before deciding to drive.

Do not assume an unresponsive car needs a high-voltage battery replacement. Equally, do not assume it is only a flat auxiliary battery. Record the symptoms and obtain model-specific advice before connecting external power. If there is smoke, a burning smell or another apparent immediate hazard, keep people away and seek local emergency help rather than approaching to investigate. Tell responders that an EV is involved, following the general safety principle in Fire and Rescue NSW's guidance.

If charging fails, use the existing EVS charging-fault checklist to organise the information already available. If braking feels abnormal or a tyre vibration persists, stop using the car as appropriate and arrange inspection; do not take a highway drive solely to try to clear the symptom.

Request a focused assessment from EVS

Contact EVS in Riyadh with the model, year, original market, parking duration and current symptoms. Include whether it was connected to a charger and whether anyone disconnected or charged the auxiliary battery. Ask the team to confirm support for your vehicle, the proposed inspection scope and whether transport is needed before arranging a visit.

For a pre-departure enquiry, explain the planned absence and parking conditions. For a return-to-service enquiry, describe what has changed since the car was last driven. Agree any diagnostic charge and approval for further work separately. A clear record helps the workshop investigate without treating storage time alone as proof that a part needs replacing.

Should every EV be stored at the same percentage

No. Use the storage guidance for the specific vehicle, battery and model year. A routine daily charging target may not be its long-term storage target.

Should I disconnect the auxiliary battery before travelling

Only if the correct vehicle procedure calls for it and the work can be carried out safely. Ask for model-specific guidance rather than applying a rule based only on the number of weeks away.

Does several months of parking mean the battery is damaged

Parking duration alone cannot establish battery condition. The storage conditions, charge history, warnings and test results matter. Request an assessment of the actual symptoms rather than a replacement based on time alone.