A working car can mean the difference between survival and becoming another statistic in Knox County. However, what can you do if you don’t have the keys to start a vehicle? If so, learn how to hotwire a car in Project Zomboid, and embody this crucial yet risky skill to escape the clutches of the undead.

How to Hotwire a Car in Project Zomboid

First, you must complete certain requirements before you can hotwire a car in Project Zomboid:

• You must have the Burglar Occupation, or
• You must have the following skills: Electrical Lv. 1 AND Mechanical Lv. 2

After completing these necessities and assuming that you found a car to hotwire in Project Zomboid, the next step is to ensure that no zombies are lurking in the area. The last thing you’d want is the undead swarming your vehicle while hotwiring it. Though sometimes in a pinch, this is a necessary evil. With the coast clear, hop into the driver's seat of your car and press the “V” keyboard key (by default). It should bring up a radial menu. Then, navigate your mouse to the “Hotwire Engine” option in the top right, and wait for the process to complete. Note that this process can and likely will fail some number of times before it succeeds. Thankfully, you can retry as many times as you want. However, get ready to leave the area as fast as possible, as the car’s engine sounds will most likely alert any zombie in the immediate area, so save your hotwiring moments for the end of loot runs as a quick escape. You can verify whether the car you're attempting to hotwire is functional by popping the hood and checking its status before you jump in, especially for engine health and how full the gas tank is.

Car Types in Project Zomboid

Introduced in Build 39, cars are plentiful in Project Zomboid, and they serve as platforms for fast transportation, at least the ones that work. These vehicles generally fall under three main categories: Standard, Sports, and Heavy-Duty. Each car has unique features and stats that can bring advantages and disadvantages. Know which vehicle to own as you survive the zombie horde in Knox County by looking at your choices below:

Standard

Chevalier Cerise Wagon

• Weight: 900
• Engine Power: 420
• Engine Quality: 70
• Engine Loudness: 80
• Top Speed: 70
• Suspension Stiffness: 40
• Occupant Protection: 1.1
• Seats: 4
• Glove Box Capacity: 5
• Trunk Capacity: 60
• Total Storage: 145

Chevalier Dart

• Weight: 650
• Engine Power: 360
• Engine Quality: 60
• Engine Loudness: 55
• Top Speed: 70
• Suspension Stiffness: 30
• Occupant Protection: 0.8
• Seats: 4
• Glove Box Capacity: 5
• Trunk Capacity: 40
• Total Storage: 125

Chevalier Nyala

• Weight: 800
• Engine Power: 400
• Engine Quality: 70
• Engine Loudness: 80
• Top Speed: 90
• Suspension Stiffness: 40
• Occupant Protection: 1
• Seats: 4
• Glove Box Capacity: 5
• Trunk Capacity: 55
• Total Storage: 140

Dash Rancher

• Weight: 900
• Engine Power: 440
• Engine Quality: 70
• Engine Loudness: 90
• Top Speed: 90
• Suspension Stiffness: 30
• Occupant Protection: 0.8
• Seats: 2
• Glove Box Capacity: 4
• Trunk Capacity: 40
• Total Storage: 85

Masterson Horizon

• Weight: 650
• Engine Power: 360
• Engine Quality: 70
• Engine Loudness: 55
• Top Speed: 90
• Suspension Stiffness: 40
• Occupant Protection: 0.8
• Seats: 4
• Glove Box Capacity: 5
• Trunk Capacity: 40
• Total Storage: 125

Sports

Chevalier Cossette

• Weight: 800
• Engine Power: 570
• Engine Quality: 90
• Engine Loudness: 90
• Top Speed: 120
• Suspension Stiffness: 50
• Occupant Protection: 0.8
• Seats: 2
• Glove Box Capacity: 5
• Trunk Capacity: 30
• Total Storage: 75

Chevalier Primani

• Weight: 800
• Engine Power: 500
• Engine Quality: 70
• Engine Loudness: 80
• Top Speed: 90
• Suspension Stiffness: 40
• Occupant Protection: 1.1
• Seats: 4
• Glove Box Capacity: 5
• Trunk Capacity: 45
• Total Storage: 130

Dash Elite

• Weight: 800
• Engine Power: 500
• Engine Quality: 70
• Engine Loudness: 80
• Top Speed: 90
• Suspension Stiffness: 40
• Occupant Protection: 1.1
• Seats: 4
• Glove Box Capacity: 5
• Trunk Capacity: 45
• Total Storage: 130

Mercia Lang 4000

• Weight: 950
• Engine Power: 520
• Engine Quality: 70
• Engine Loudness: 80
• Top Speed: 105
• Suspension Stiffness: 40
• Occupant Protection: 1.1
• Seats: 2
• Glove Box Capacity: 5
• Trunk Capacity: 45
• Total Storage: 90

Race Car

• Weight: 800
• Engine Power: 700
• Engine Quality: 80
• Engine Loudness: 90
• Top Speed: 120
• Suspension Stiffness: 40
• Occupant Protection: 0.8
• Seats: 4
• Glove Box Capacity: 5
• Trunk Capacity: 20
• Total Storage: 105

Heavy-Duty

Ambulance

• Weight: 816
• Engine Power: 490
• Engine Quality: 75
• Engine Loudness: 110
• Top Speed: 70
• Suspension Stiffness: 40
• Occupant Protection: 1.3
• Seats: 2
• Glove Box Capacity: 10
• Trunk Capacity: 130
• Total Storage: 180

Chevalier D6

• Weight: 1,030
• Engine Power: 400
• Engine Quality: 80
• Engine Loudness: 110
• Top Speed: 70
• Suspension Stiffness: 40
• Occupant Protection: 1.3
• Seats: 2
• Glove Box Capacity: 10
• Trunk Capacity: 110
• Total Storage: 160

Chevalier Step Van

• Weight: 1,160
• Engine Power: 370
• Engine Quality: 70
• Engine Loudness: 100
• Top Speed: 70
• Suspension Stiffness: 40
• Occupant Protection: 1.1
• Seats: 2
• Glove Box Capacity: 10
• Trunk Capacity: 160
• Total Storage: 210

Dash Bulldriver

• Weight: 1,104
• Engine Power: 400
• Engine Quality: 80
• Engine Loudness: 120
• Top Speed: 60
• Suspension Stiffness: 20
• Occupant Protection: 1.3
• Seats: 2
• Glove Box Capacity: 10
• Trunk Capacity: 130
• Total Storage: 180

Franklin All-Terrain

• Weight: 1,000
• Engine Power: 470
• Engine Quality: 75
• Engine Loudness: 100
• Top Speed: 90
• Suspension Stiffness: 40
• Occupant Protection: 1.3
• Seats: 4
• Glove Box Capacity: 10
• Trunk Capacity: 85
• Total Storage: 175

Franklin Valuline

• Weight: 816
• Engine Power: 370
• Engine Quality: 70
• Engine Loudness: 100
• Top Speed: 65
• Suspension Stiffness: 30
• Occupant Protection: 1.1
• Seats: 2
• Glove Box Capacity: 10
• Trunk Capacity: 130
• Total Storage: 180

Franklin Valuline (6-seater)

• Weight: 916
• Engine Power: 260
• Engine Quality: 70
• Engine Loudness: 100
• Top Speed: 60
• Suspension Stiffness: 50
• Occupant Protection: 1.1
• Seats: 6
• Glove Box Capacity: 10
• Trunk Capacity: 50
• Total Storage: 180

LBMW Radio Van

• Weight: 956
• Engine Power: 270
• Engine Quality: 70
• Engine Loudness: 100
• Top Speed: 65
• Suspension Stiffness: 50
• Occupant Protection: 1.1
• Seats: 2
• Glove Box Capacity: 10
• Trunk Capacity: 130
• Total Storage: 180

Project Zomboid Car Controls

Learning how to hotwire and get into a car will only get you so far in Project Zomboid. Understanding how to drive your “appropriated” vehicle should also be part of your recipe for survival. Thankfully, most, if not all, cars in Project Zomboid have an automatic transmission, so you don’t have to worry about manually changing gears. So, follow these vehicle controls once you’re in front of a vehicle’s steering wheel:

• Start Vehicle Engine: N
• Toggle Vehicle Headlights: F
• Vehicle Heater: O
• Vehicle Info: U
• Horn: Q
• Vehicle Radial Menu: V
• Switch Seat: Z

Note: Check out our guide on Project Zomboid Controls to learn more about other mouse and keyboard commands.