Can Electric Vehicles Be Charged on Rainy Days?
2 Answers
It is not recommended to charge during heavy rain. The waterproofing of electric vehicle charging components meets strict standards, ensuring insulation, and charging is possible during light rain. However, charging is not advisable during heavy rainfall. Measures for charging during rainy weather: Use an umbrella when unplugging the charging gun: If it rains while charging, use an umbrella to cover the charging gun when unplugging it to prevent it from getting wet. After removing the charging gun from the charging station, check if the gun head is intact and whether there is water or other foreign objects inside to ensure charging safety. Ensure proper connection of the gun head: After confirming the charging gun is in good condition, open the protective cover of the vehicle's charging port and insert the charging gun. If the connection is successful, the chance of water leakage is minimal. Check if the charging station is functioning properly: After successfully connecting the charging gun, monitor the display on the charging station to see if charging has begun. If charging does not start, take immediate action and adjust the charging gun as needed. Cover the charging port promptly after charging: Once charging is complete, first power off, then remove the charging gun from the vehicle's charging port. While unplugging the charging gun, securely close both covers of the vehicle's charging port to prevent water ingress and potential safety hazards.
I've been driving electric vehicles for several years and have encountered many rainy charging scenarios without any issues. Both the charging port and the charging cable of electric vehicles are specially designed with waterproofing in mind, with most models achieving an IP67 protection rating, meaning they are dustproof and waterproof. Once during heavy rain, I parked my car outside the garage to charge, and even with rainwater splashing on the charging cable, the current passed through normally. The key is to avoid operating in standing water—if there are deep puddles on the ground, water might seep into the interface and cause a short circuit, so I always choose a dry spot to plug in. The charging station itself is also rainproof, designed to withstand all kinds of weather. In short, charging in the rain is perfectly safe as long as you follow normal procedures, and the battery and system won’t be damaged. Just make sure to check the sealing ring of the charging port during regular maintenance to ensure it hasn’t aged.
