EV with 'technical issue' blocks traffic during Canberra peak-hour

The vehicle had stopped in the left-hand, east-bound lane of Cotter Road as motorists headed to work and school.

ACT Policing received a call about 8.35am "regarding an electric vehicle that was stationary on Cotter Road" and was blocking traffic.

An ACT Policing spokesperson said "the EV stopped due to a technical issue".

"Traffic was disrupted for about an hour (8.30am to 9.30am) until a tow truck arrived and removed the car (via a winch onto the flatbed)," the spokesperson said.

ABC Radio Canberra reported at the time that the vehicle could not be moved from the lanes.

Police did not comment on whether or not the EV had just run out of charge.

The driver did not give police a reason for the car stopping.

It is difficult to move an EV once its battery is dead.

The stranded EV caused traffic to build up city-bound on Cotter Road and on Parkes Way.

Last month, a Tesla Model 3 caught fire at Penrose, in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales after the driver hit debris dropped from a truck in front of it.

Five cars were destroyed, also last month, when a lithium-ion battery that had been detached from an EV caught fire at Sydney airport.

READ MORE: