Do Electric Vehicles Have Standard OBD2 Ports and How Do They Work?

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One of the most useful tools for diagnosing modern vehicle problems, in real-time or otherwise, is an advanced scanning tool, or more specifically an OBD2 scanner. They plug into a standardized port in vehicles to read specialized diagnostics codes, including those used by vehicle manufacturers. The port is commonly located underneath the dash, on the driver’s side, somewhere near the steering wheel. Although it can differ based on the vehicle’s manufacturer.

Dealerships, mechanics, even you can use a scanner to get to the bottom of problems you’re having with a vehicle. That is, of course, if your vehicle is an internal combustion engine (ICE) or gas-powered variant. If you own an EV, that’s probably not possible. Electric vehicles or EVs may or may not have a usable OBD2 port. Wait, what? To understand why, we have to go backwards in time a little, so let’s do that.

Why don’t electric vehicles have an OBD2 port?

The OBD-II (OBD2) standard was originally established to monitor emissions rather than to read or display error codes. First created as the ALDL or Assembly Line Data Link systems in the 1980s by General Motors, the initial iteration of the port actually didn’t work so well.

Due to a mandate from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the need for a more standardized connection option, OBD was born. Generally, the mandate ensured that authorities could legally assess vehicles for emissions to help reduce pollution. Because it was useful and required, and more and more error codes were tied to the emissions system, they expanded it to include other applications, like being able to check vehicle diagnostics or real-time operating data.

Electric vehicles are zero-emission, or rather, they don’t produce emissions like a gas-powered car, because they’re not burning off fuel. Instead, they run on electricity and they don’t have tailpipes. This effectively creates a legal loophole where they don’t need to install the standardized OBD2 port. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have them altogether. Some EVs still have a similar port, except they utilize proprietary connectors or technology. Teslas, for instance, still have a diagnostic port.

Can you still use OBD2 scanners in EVs?

It depends, but universally, no. Most OBD2 scanners aren’t designed to read the diagnostics data of an EV anyway, because they have an electric powertrain, which is completely different from an internal combustion engine setup.

That said, there are adapters available so that you could plug a standard OBD2 scanner into the port. You don’t necessarily need any of this technology, however. As electric vehicles are more advanced, and the related systems are becoming smarter, the operating and diagnostics data is both being fed to the necessary parties and used in new and interesting ways. Tesla vehicles, for example, can automatically order parts when a problem is diagnosed. Or when something more serious happens, they can display service request notifications and information right on the vehicle’s infotainment screen. There is an argument to be made about these manufacturers moving away from DIY opportunities, however.

What does that mean for the OBD2 standard?

For the time being, and foreseeable future, gas-powered vehicles are here to stay. There’s always the point that electric vehicles can still cost more to maintain than their fuel-powered counterparts, though it is improving gradually. But if you don’t own an EV yet, none of this even matters.

That OBD2 port located under your vehicle’s dash, or wherever it is, is still the best way to check error codes, find engine or performance problems and capture real-time diagnostics data, including transmission statistics, temperatures, engine information, ABS and OEM data. In fact, tools like Innova’s 5610 work with so many vehicle manufacturers, from Honda to BMW and Mercedes, that we recommend everyone own one and have one handy.

If you don’t already own one, you can get your hands on an Innova 5610 easily, which just plugs right into the compatible port. You don’t need any additional adapters or add-ons. Moreover, you can use the RepairSolutions 2 app for free to find repairs and order OEM parts as needed.

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