Can a car be started while charging?
3 Answers
It is possible to start a car while the battery is charging, but it may be difficult to start the vehicle during the initial charging phase. This is because the charger's voltage does not exceed 15V when charging the battery. Below are some precautions regarding car charging: Pay attention to the charging duration: There is a limit to charging—neither undercharging nor overcharging is ideal. Undercharging will not provide enough power, while leaving the battery charging continuously can lead to safety issues, including battery damage and even spontaneous combustion. Therefore, most charging should be done according to the vehicle's requirements to prevent potential safety hazards. Turn off the car's internal devices: Do not stay inside the car or turn on the air conditioning, music, etc., while charging. Simultaneously charging and consuming power can easily drain the battery and cause overheating, which is particularly unsafe in summer and can significantly increase the risk of vehicle spontaneous combustion.
I often encounter new energy vehicle owners struggling with this while waiting at charging stations. Based on my research on different models, it's perfectly fine to start the vehicle during charging (i.e., press the start button), but never shift into gear and drive! The system will automatically lock the gear when the charging gun is plugged in. At this time, turning on the air conditioning or listening to music is completely fine, but be aware that power consumption will affect the charging speed. The main reason for recommending starting the vehicle during charging is to use the onboard systems, such as pre-cooling the cabin. However, I've seen cases where owners accidentally pressed the accelerator, causing the charging gun to snap off. For safety, keep your foot away from the accelerator pedal.
Last time I drove my electric car to the mall and was charging it when I wanted to go back to the car to get something. After unlocking with the key and pressing the start button, the power turned on completely normally, and the dashboard lit up showing the charging status. But if I tried to shift into D gear to drive away, the car's system immediately popped up a warning reminding me to unplug the charging cable. This design is very reasonable, preventing driving off with the charging cable still connected. It's recommended to keep the car in READY mode if you're only going back to the car for a short time, rather than turning off the power, as some models may briefly interrupt charging when restarting. However, if you're leaving for an extended period, it's safer to power off and lock the car.
