Charging Safety Guidelines For Electric Vehicles

The adoption of EVs across the globe has revolutionised the automotive market. Not only are they good for the environment but they are pocket-friendly too, helping you save significantly in the long run. The EV industry is growing by the day, with several top automobile players launching new and affordable models in the market.

The availability of safe, affordable, and accessible charging infrastructure is the greatest enabler to mass EV adoption. However, even with the growing awareness of the benefits of owning an electric vehicle, EV safety remains a major concern. How do you safely use a charging station and ensure electric car crash safety? What are the protocols to follow to ensure electric vehicle safety?

Ministry of Power issues EV charging safety guidelines to accelerate the adoption of EVs in the country by ensuring a safe and reliable charging ecosystem. Here are the electric vehicle charging safety guidelines that you need to know about.

Electric vehicle charging safety guidelines

• When using a public charging station, make sure all the components are in good working order and there are no signs of misuse or disrepair to ensure charging station safety.
• Never use an EV charger if it is damaged or off its base.
• Always follow the EV charging safety guidelines and car safety guidelines laid down by the manufacturer when charging your vehicle. Check with your dealer for more information.
• While installing home charging equipment, make sure to use only certified devices for maximum electric vehicle safety.
• If you’re charging your EV at home, plug the charger directly into an accurate outlet instead of using a multiplug adapter or extension cord.
• Properly maintain the charging station components as per the manufacturer’s guidelines to avoid a potential shock hazard and ensure electric car crash safety.
• Avoid charging the EV battery immediately after using the vehicle. It is best to let the batteries cool down before you charge them to ensure electric vehicle safety.

Make sure that as per vehicle safety guidelines, you are using a DC charging station as vehicle batteries are always charged by DC power. The DC charging station will convert AC into DC to charge the EV.

Moreover, when it comes to EV safety, vehicle safety guidelines suggest that ground fault protection is essential at both the DC output side and the AC grid side. These ground-fault relays for DC voltage detect electrical issues and minimize shock hazards to EV drivers for maximum safety.

Public EV charging safety standards in India

As per the vehicle safety guidelines, you can charge your EV at home or offices using their current electricity connections. To ensure that your EV is charged safely, it is important to invest in the right charging equipment as per the car safety guidelines. For electric car charging safety, public charging infrastructure is standardised to ensure interoperability between EVs and charging equipment offered by different automakers.

In line with vehicle safety guidelines, for low voltage EVs (<120 V) Bureau of Indian Standards recognises DHI approved Bharat Charger Specifications-

• For AC charging- Bharat EV Charger AC001
• For DC charging- Bharat EV Charger DC001

Home charging and electric vehicle safety

Home charging is the most widely used charging infrastructure by EV owners, which uses a 230V charger that delivers up to 2.5kW of output power. Although there is no standard defined for EV charging at home, car safety guidelines recommend installing the Residual Current Circuit Breaker and using an IEC 60309 industrial connector to ensure EV safety while charging.

Tips to maximise electrical vehicle safety

Here’s how you can ensure the overall safety and long life of your electric vehicle-

1. Don’t keep the vehicle battery completely full or empty

Whenever possible, try to maintain the vehicle battery’s charging status between 20% to 80%. Charging the battery repeatedly and till 100% might cause it to degrade more quickly.

2. Check the vehicle batteries regularly

As opposed to fuel cars, the battery level of an EV might drain even if the vehicle is parked and has not been used for a long time. So, make sure to keep a track of when you charged it last and the overall performance of the battery to ensure electric vehicle safety.

3. Use your vehicle for regular, short tips

Don’t keep the vehicle ideal for too long. Similar to fuel cars, the overall health of the vehicle might get affected if it is not used for a drive now and then.

4. Avoid fast charging

If your drive the vehicle a lot and need to charge it frequently, then fast charging is undoubtedly a great convenience. However, it transfers too much current into the batteries in a short time, which can weaken the health of your batteries. You might not notice the difference, but on average, 8 years of standard charging will give you 10% more battery life than 8 years of fast charging.

Over to you

Now that you are aware of the electric vehicle charging safety guidelines, you can maximise the utility and performance of your electric vehicle. And if you still haven’t made the transition to a brand new EV, it’s time now!

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