A hybrid or electric car does not ship the way a gasoline car ships. The lithium battery in it is classified as dangerous goods, and from the moment that classification applies, almost everything about the booking changes: where the container is placed on the vessel, how many of those positions exist, what paperwork has to exist before the car can load, and what the whole thing costs. None of that is a surprise to the industry, but it surprises a great many buyers, and it is better understood before you bid than after.
Why a lithium battery changes everything
A lithium battery stores a very large amount of energy in a small space, and a damaged or faulty one can enter a state that is extremely difficult to extinguish once it starts. At sea, with no fire service to call and no way to set the cargo down, that risk is treated with real seriousness. International dangerous goods rules therefore cover vehicles powered by lithium batteries, and every carrier applies those rules to hybrids and electric cars.
The practical result is that your car is no longer ordinary cargo. It is declared cargo, it is documented cargo, and it is placed on the vessel according to a plan rather than wherever a box happens to fit. Understanding that one point explains every other difference on this page.
Where the container goes on the ship
A container holding a lithium battery vehicle cannot be stowed just anywhere. It has to be placed in a part of the vessel that is set up for this cargo, with fire detection and fire fighting arrangements suited to it, and with the carrier's own safety protocol applied to how it is loaded, where it sits relative to other cargo, and how it is monitored during the voyage.
Those positions are limited. A vessel has only so many of them, they are planned in advance, and they are shared among every shipper on that sailing who has dangerous goods to move. That scarcity is a genuine constraint rather than a commercial one. It means a hybrid or electric car cannot always go on the next sailing simply because you are ready, and it means the space it occupies is worth considerably more than ordinary container space.
Carriers also carry a greater exposure on this cargo, because the consequences of something going wrong are larger. Higher risk and higher liability are priced, as they are in every industry.
How the pricing actually works
There is no single industry rate for this, and there is no formula we can give you that will hold. Pricing structures for dangerous goods differ from one carrier to the next, and the differences are not small. Some lines keep the normal ocean freight and add a defined charge for the dangerous goods handling. Others treat the shipment as a different product altogether and reprice the entire ocean freight from the ground up. The same car, to the same port, in the same week, can be priced in two completely different ways depending on which line carries it.
What we can tell you honestly is the direction. The cost is higher, and it is frequently not a little higher. On many lanes it is very substantially higher than the same car would cost with a gasoline engine, and that is before the limited space on the sailing is taken into account. Anyone who quotes you a hybrid or electric car at a standard car rate has either not understood what you are shipping or has not checked.
For that reason, every hybrid and electric vehicle we handle is quoted in writing against the specific car, the specific destination and the specific sailing. A verbal figure or a number taken from a general rate sheet is worth nothing on this cargo. Ask us for a written quotation.
What you have to give us before we can book
The booking cannot be made, and the car cannot load, without certain things in hand. We need the year, make and model, the battery type and chemistry, the battery capacity, the state of charge, and confirmation of whether the battery is installed in the vehicle or shipping separately. We also need the battery safety documentation for that vehicle, and a completed dangerous goods declaration under the international maritime code, signed by the shipper.
These are not administrative formalities. The terminal and the carrier check them, and a car that arrives without them does not load. If that happens the booking is lost, the sailing is missed, and the costs that follow, including storage, re-delivery and rebooking, fall on the shipper as the party responsible for the information and documents furnished.
The same applies if the information turns out to be wrong. A vehicle declared as a gasoline car that is in fact a hybrid is a serious matter, and the responsibility for the declaration rests with the shipper who made it. Tell us exactly what the car is at the point of booking and everything after that is straightforward.
What gets a car refused
The most common reason is missing or incomplete documentation, which is entirely avoidable. After that comes a battery that is visibly damaged, swollen, leaking or showing signs of having been in a fire or a flood, because a compromised battery is exactly the hazard the rules exist to control. A salvage or accident damaged hybrid or electric car is a much harder shipment than a clean one, and on many lanes it cannot be booked at all.
A state of charge outside what the carrier accepts is another reason, as is a loose or improperly secured battery shipped separately from the vehicle. And finally, if the sailing has no dangerous goods space left, the car waits for one that does, regardless of how ready everything else is.
If you are bidding on a hybrid or electric car at auction, particularly a damaged one, ask us before you bid rather than after. It takes a few minutes and it is the difference between a car that ships and a car that sits.
Before you buy
Three questions are worth settling before you commit money. First, does your destination country admit used electric or hybrid vehicles at all, and under what duty treatment, since several markets treat them very differently from gasoline cars. Second, what will the freight actually be on that specific car to that specific port, in writing. Third, is the car's battery sound, because the condition of the battery decides whether it is shippable in the first place.
Send us the vehicle identification number, the year, make and model, the battery type and the destination before the auction closes. We will tell you what we can carry it for and whether anything about the car is likely to cause a problem. The final decision on import eligibility and duty belongs to the authorities and the licensed customs agent at your destination, so confirm those with them.
Hybrid and electric car shipping FAQ
Can I ship an electric car overseas from the USA?
Yes, electric cars are shipped from the United States regularly. The difference is that the vehicle is carried as dangerous goods because of its lithium battery, which means a declared booking, specific documentation, and placement in a part of the vessel that is set up for this cargo. It is a normal shipment to arrange, but it is not an ordinary one, and it needs to be booked as what it is.
Are hybrid cars treated the same as fully electric cars?
For shipping purposes, yes. A hybrid carries a lithium battery and that is what triggers the dangerous goods treatment, regardless of whether the car also has a gasoline engine. Plug in hybrids, conventional hybrids and fully electric vehicles all fall under the same handling in practice. A car is not exempt because the battery is small.
Can I ship a hybrid in a container with other cars?
Not with ordinary cargo as though nothing had changed. The whole container takes on the dangerous goods classification once a lithium battery vehicle is inside it, which affects where that container can be stowed and what it costs. Mixing a hybrid in with gasoline cars to save money does not work, and declaring the container as ordinary cargo when it is not is a serious matter.
Can I ship a damaged or salvage electric car?
It is much harder, and on a number of lanes it cannot be booked at all. A battery that is damaged, swollen, leaking, or that has been through a fire or a flood is precisely the hazard the rules exist to control, and carriers treat it accordingly. If you are looking at a damaged hybrid or electric car at auction, ask us before you bid, because the answer decides whether the car can move.
Can the battery be removed and shipped separately?
Sometimes, depending on the vehicle and the carrier, but it does not make the battery ordinary cargo. A loose lithium battery is itself dangerous goods with its own packing, securing and documentation requirements, and in many cases it is more difficult to move on its own than it is inside the car. Ask us about the specific vehicle before assuming either way.
Why is shipping an electric car more expensive?
Three reasons stack on top of each other. The container has to be stowed in a part of the vessel that is equipped for this cargo, with fire detection and fire fighting arrangements and the carrier's own safety protocol applied. Those positions are limited in number and shared among everyone with dangerous goods on that sailing. And the carrier takes on greater risk and greater liability on this cargo, which is priced the way risk is priced anywhere.
Where is the container placed on the ship?
In a position set aside for dangerous goods, chosen by the carrier under its own stowage plan and safety protocol. Those positions have fire detection and fire fighting arrangements suited to this cargo, and the container is loaded, placed relative to other cargo and monitored according to that plan. It is not a question of finding any available slot, which is exactly why the space is limited.
Is there always space for a hybrid or electric car on a sailing?
No, and this is worth planning around. A vessel has only a limited number of positions suitable for dangerous goods and they are planned in advance and shared among all the shippers moving such cargo on that sailing. If the space on your preferred sailing is taken, the car waits for one that has room, however ready everything else is. Book earlier than you would for a gasoline car.
How much more does it cost to ship an EV than a gasoline car?
There is no single answer, and the honest statement is that it is higher and frequently very substantially higher rather than a little higher. The structure differs from one carrier to the next. Some keep the normal ocean freight and add a defined dangerous goods charge, while others reprice the entire ocean freight as a different product altogether. The same car to the same port can be priced two completely different ways depending on the line.
Can you give me a rate for an EV over the phone?
Not a reliable one, and we would rather not give you a number that changes later. Because the pricing structures for dangerous goods vary so widely between carriers, and because the space on any given sailing is limited, this cargo has to be quoted in writing against the specific car, the specific destination and the specific sailing. Ask for a written quotation and you will have a figure you can rely on.
Someone quoted me the normal car rate for a hybrid. Is that right?
Almost certainly not, and it is worth going back to them with the question. A quote at a standard gasoline car rate usually means the vehicle has not been identified as a hybrid, or that the dangerous goods handling has not been checked. A rate that collapses once the real classification is applied helps nobody. Ask anyone quoting you to confirm in writing that the price is for a lithium battery vehicle.
Does the size of the battery change the price?
It can, because the capacity and the chemistry both feed into how the shipment is classified and handled, and some carriers price different categories differently. It is one of the reasons we ask for the battery type and capacity rather than just the model. Two cars that look alike can sit in different handling categories depending on what is underneath them.
What papers do I need to ship an electric or hybrid car?
We need the year, make and model, the battery type and chemistry, the battery capacity, the state of charge, and whether the battery is installed or shipping separately. We also need the battery safety documentation for that vehicle and a completed dangerous goods declaration under the international maritime code, signed by the shipper. Without those in hand the booking cannot be made.
What happens if the papers are missing when the car arrives?
The car does not load. The terminal and the carrier check the documentation, and a vehicle that arrives without it is not accepted for the sailing. The booking is lost and the costs that follow, including storage, re-delivery and rebooking, fall on the shipper as the party responsible for the information and documents furnished. It is entirely avoidable by sending everything at the point of booking.
Who signs the dangerous goods declaration?
The shipper signs it, and the shipper is responsible for the accuracy of what it says. That is how the international rules are written. You are declaring what the vehicle is and what is in it, which is why we ask you for the battery details rather than guessing them from the model. Give us accurate information and the declaration is straightforward to complete.
What if I declare the car as a normal gasoline vehicle?
Do not. A lithium battery vehicle declared as ordinary cargo is a serious matter, and responsibility for the declaration rests with the shipper who made it, along with any fine, penalty or cost that follows. It also puts the vessel and everyone on it at risk, which is the real reason the rules exist. Tell us exactly what the car is at the point of booking.
Does the battery need to be at a particular charge level?
Carriers set a state of charge they accept for this cargo and a car outside it can be refused. The exact figure is a carrier requirement rather than a universal one, so we confirm it for your booking and tell you what is needed. It is a simple thing to get right as long as it is known before the car is delivered.
Why would a terminal refuse my electric car?
The most common reason by a long way is missing or incomplete documentation. After that comes a battery that is visibly damaged, swollen, leaking or showing signs of fire or flood exposure, a state of charge outside what the carrier accepts, or a loose battery that is not properly packed and secured. Finally, if the sailing has no dangerous goods space left, the car waits for one that does.
Who pays if the car is refused?
The shipper. Where a vehicle cannot load because the information or documentation provided was wrong, incomplete or missing, the storage, re-delivery, rebooking and any other costs that follow are for the account of the shipper, who is the party responsible for what was furnished. Sending complete and accurate details at the point of booking avoids the situation entirely.
Can a flood damaged EV be shipped?
In most cases no, and you should assume not until it is confirmed. Water intrusion into a lithium battery pack is one of the conditions carriers are most careful about, and a flood exposed battery is very commonly refused outright. If a car you are looking at has any flood history, ask us before you bid rather than after you own it.
Should I check with you before bidding on a hybrid at auction?
Yes, and it takes only a few minutes. Send us the vehicle identification number, the year, make and model, the battery type and the destination port before the auction closes. We will tell you what we can carry it for and whether anything about that particular car is likely to cause a problem. It is the difference between a car that ships and a car that sits in a yard.
Will my country even allow a used electric car to be imported?
That varies a great deal and several countries treat electric and hybrid vehicles very differently from gasoline cars, sometimes more favourably on duty and sometimes with additional requirements. The rule belongs to the destination country, so confirm the current position with a licensed customs agent there before you buy. It is a question worth settling before the money moves rather than after.
How far ahead should I book an EV shipment?
Earlier than you would for a gasoline car, because the suitable space on each sailing is limited and planned in advance. Giving us the vehicle details early means we can look at what is actually open rather than working against a deadline. Once the documentation is complete the booking itself is quick, so the lead time is mostly about securing the space.
Are you a licensed carrier?
We are. Cassandra Logistics is a federally licensed Ocean Transportation Intermediary under FMC licence OTI No. 025125NF, legally Royal Port Container Lines, Inc. doing business as Cassandra Logistics. The licence is public and verifiable with the Federal Maritime Commission, and on dangerous goods cargo it is worth verifying whoever you are dealing with.
Import rules change. The customs information on this page comes from official government sources and was accurate when published, but duties, age limits and eligibility requirements are set by the destination country and can change without notice. Cassandra Logistics is a licensed ocean carrier, not a customs authority or a legal adviser. We are not responsible for changes to foreign import law, or for decisions made by customs at destination. Always confirm current requirements with a licensed customs agent in the destination country before you buy.