How to ensure safety while charging an EV: Key tips

With the rising number of electric vehicles worldwide, these battery-electric vehicles' safety precautions are also becoming crucial for EV buyers and owners. Electric vehicles come equipped with significantly fewer movable parts than their internal combustion engine-powered vehicles. However, electric vehicles are uniquely prone to catch fire in select circumstances. Also, the intensity of an EV fire is much higher than an ICE vehicle fire.

An EV fire could be caused by so many reasons, as they are powered by electricity, and the battery pack emits immense heat while generating energy for the propulsion. Charging an electric vehicle in a safe environment is essential for both the safety of the driver and the health of the vehicle's battery pack. No matter wherever you charge your electric vehicle, be it at home or a public EV charging station, following some precautionary tips can be highly useful.

Here are a few key tips on ensuring safety while charging an electric vehicle.

Use a certified charging station

Always use a certified charger and a certified charging station in order to avoid any safety issues. The certified charging stations and their chargers come meeting all the safety standards and are designed to prevent critical issues like overcharging and overheating that could be problematic for your EV.

Avoid charging in extreme temperatures

Extreme temperatures could be damaging to the battery pack of your vehicle and result in a reduced lifespan as well. Hence, it is always advisable to avoid charging the EV in extreme temperatures. Avoid charging the EV under direct sunlight, as the summer heat could take a toll on the charging system and the battery pack as well.

Avoid charging in wet conditions

Electricity doesn't mix well with water, and there are always safety risks when these two come together. Hence, it is very important to avoid charging an electric vehicle in wet conditions. If the EV must be charged in wet conditions, always ensure the charging station and cable are not exposed to water.

Don't overcharge

Overcharging is bad for any battery, be it of a smartphone or an electric vehicle. Overcharging can damage the battery and reduce its lifespan significantly. Most modern electric vehicles come with a built-in mechanism to prevent overcharging, but it is still important to keep an eye on the charging process of the vehicle.

How to ensure safety while charging an EV

Step 1 :

Use a certified charging station and charger

Step 2 :

Avoid charging in extreme temperatures

Step 3 :

Avoid charging in wet conditions

Step 4 :

Don't overcharge