Can You Start the Engine While Charging a New Energy Vehicle?
4 Answers
New energy vehicles cannot be started while charging. Here are some precautions to take when charging a new energy vehicle: 1. Charge in the off state. Just as fuel-powered vehicles need to be turned off when refueling, electric vehicles also need to be turned off when charging. 2. Turn off the vehicle's power. In addition to turning off the vehicle while charging, the power inside the car should also be turned off, such as the headlights and audio system, which should be closed during charging. 3. Master the correct charging time. When charging an electric vehicle, if time permits, it is advisable to choose slow charging. Once the battery is fully charged, the charging gun should be promptly removed. Both undercharging and overcharging can affect the battery's lifespan.
I also thought about this when I was driving an electric car before. It's completely fine to press the start button while charging, as the onboard computer will automatically cut off the charging protection circuit. However, once I was in a hurry to move the car and tried to reverse while the fast charging cable was still connected, and the system immediately warned me with 'Charging connection not disconnected'. Now I've learned my lesson: if you're near the charging station and want to start the car temporarily, first swipe the card to stop charging, wait for the charging gun unlock indicator to turn green before operating. After all, sudden load changes can stress the battery management module, just like unplugging your phone suddenly while it's charging.
Last week, I witnessed a Tesla owner in the neighboring parking spot starting the air conditioning while charging, which automatically paused the charging and switched to battery power. This demonstrates the intelligent vehicle control logic, but frequent switching can increase relay wear. Experienced technicians have warned: emergency jump-starts are fine, but if high-voltage systems are kept running for extended periods while charging (such as sleeping in the car with the AC on), not only does charging efficiency drop by half, but it may also trigger battery overheating protection.
Page 87 of my Deepal SL03 manual clearly states, 'To start while charging, keep the charging gun connected.' During actual testing, it was found that upon ignition, the vehicle's infotainment screen pops up a 'Charging paused' notification, and the charging icon disappears from the instrument cluster. Here’s the key point: You must engage the P (Park) gear before moving the car! A fellow car owner damaged the charging gun by pulling it hard while in D (Drive) gear during charging. Fast charging stations often have maintenance technicians on standby precisely because of this—many people forget to release the electronic parking brake before pressing the accelerator.
