Can People Stay in the Car While Charging an Electric Vehicle?
2 Answers
People can stay in the car while charging an electric vehicle. Here is relevant information: 1. Electric vehicle charging methods: There are three types of electric vehicle charging methods: portable charging box, AC charging pile, and DC charging pile. The portable charging box is simple and portable, but it has the lowest power among the three types of charging equipment, resulting in slower charging. The AC charging pile offers moderate charging speed and is suitable for home use, especially for the pattern of driving during the day and charging at night. The DC charging pile is the most powerful type of charging equipment, with power generally ranging from tens of kW to over a hundred kW, thus requiring higher grid power and offering faster charging speed. The DC charging pile is connected to three-phase AC power, converting it into DC power to directly charge the high-voltage DC power battery of the electric vehicle. The larger the power of the DC charging pile, the faster the charging speed. 2. Precautions for electric vehicle charging: Master the correct charging time; avoid overcharging and over-discharging the battery; turn off the car's power supply during charging; prevent the charging plug from overheating. Pure electric vehicles take longer to replenish energy. Taking a general sports model as an example, if a home charging pile is used, it takes nearly 8 hours to fully charge, while a fast charging pile takes about 40 minutes to charge 80%. Develop the habit of frequent charging and do not wait until the battery is too low. Both overcharging and over-discharging reduce battery life. Any product that uses a battery should not be "over-discharged," and pure electric vehicles are no exception. When charging the car, be sure to turn off electrical equipment such as audio and air conditioning, as simultaneous charging and power consumption will accelerate battery wear and cause the battery to heat up. Loose 220-volt power plugs or charger output plugs, as well as oxidized contact surfaces, can cause the plug to overheat. Prolonged overheating can lead to short circuits or poor contact, damaging the charger and battery and causing unnecessary losses.
I recently had this exact experience. That time at the highway charging station waiting for my car to charge, with nowhere else to go, I ended up sitting in the car scrolling through my phone. But honestly, I wouldn't recommend staying in the car for long periods during charging. The battery system is active while charging, and although modern EVs have multiple safety protections, in the rare event of a fire or malfunction, reaction time would be reduced if you're inside the vehicle. Plus, some charging station instructions explicitly prohibit remaining in the car during charging. Nowadays, I use the charging time to take a walk to the rest area - 30 minutes to reach 80% charge is perfect for grabbing a meal. If you have kids, extra caution is needed. The enclosed space of the car during charging produces slight electromagnetic radiation and noise, so it's safer to let children run around near the charging station.
