News article

Is it safe to charge an electric car in the rain?

EV driving through puddle

Ok, we hear you, water and electricity are not best friends.

It’s one of those things you learn as a kid and is why light switches are on the outside of bathrooms.

So, you’re probably thinking that charging an electric vehicle in the rain is going to cause you the same problem, right?

Well, we’re here to tell you, not to worry. It’s perfectly safe.

All charging equipment, whether that’s the cables, connectors or vehicle ports, is designed as a sealed, water-resistant unit and tested to work in all weathers against a number of international safety standards.

Our chargers at Electric Forecourts®, Electric Super Hubs or Electric Retail Hubs feature holsters to protect our connectors but even if these were left in a puddle, you still wouldn’t need to worry about being showered in sparks.

That’s because the cable is not live until it’s plugged into a car. At this point, the charger and vehicle talk to each other (known as a handshake) and decide that it’s safe to start charging. Any issues and it’ll prevent any current running.

The only thing you need to worry about when it’s raining is keeping yourself dry on your way to pick up your coffee and sausage roll.

What about home charging in the rain?

The same rules apply for home charging as they do for charging on the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway, all wallbox units and cables have to meet the same standards as for public charging.

That’s good news as you don’t need to dash out and unplug your car in a downpour… you can just focus on bringing in the washing instead.