Yes, It’s Safe to Charge Electric Vehicles in the Rain

While it’s normally a bad idea to stand on a wet surface and plug something in, electric vehicles are built to do just that.

With electric vehicles growing in popularity, people are curious about charging in inclement weather, says Thomas Bruhl with the Safe Electricity Board of Directors.

“My car sits outside year round,” says Bruhl, who owns an electric vehicle and is the electric utility supervisor for the city of Naperville. “It can be pouring rain while it’s charging and sometimes, I have to brush snow off the charger before I unplug. All of those conditions are suitable for the factory charger or a quality after-market charger.”

Electric vehicles are powered by an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. The battery that powers the motor is charged with a dedicated plug-in cord that connects it to a charging station or regular wall outlet.

“When using a quality charging device, there generally are no safety related issues as long as the plug is not sitting in a puddle of water or the charging port on the car is packed with snow,” Bruhl says.

The charging equipment is designed to be insulated and waterproofed and undergoes testing by the Society of Automotive Engineers for almost any weather condition, with the exception being extreme weather conditions such as floods and hurricanes.

When it’s wet outside, Bruhl says the only area of concern is not where the plug meets the car, but where the charging cord plugs into an outlet or an extension cord, though Bruhl suggests that the use of extension cords come with its own set of risks.

“People could get into trouble if they’re plugging the charging cord into an extension cord,” Bruhl says. “You want to make sure that all cords are appropriate for the use, are in good working order, and that connections are not in water.”

Electric vehicle owners should always follow manufacturer instructions and check charging equipment before using it.