Can you extend an EV charging cable?

Frank van Buiten @ Apr 11, 2024

Are you wondering if extending your EV charging cable is possible? The short answer is No, you cannot extend an EV charging cable. This is for safety reasons. In this article, we would like to tell you about the possibilities and impossibilities when extending an electric car charging cable.

EV charging cables that you can NOT extend

The charging cables that you can connect to a charging pole or charging station can NOT be extended. The contact poles of the plug on the male side (charging station) are designed so that they cannot be connected to the contact poles on the female side (car) of the plug. This is designed for safety reasons. However, do you have too much space between the car and the charging station? Then, unfortunately, the only option is to purchase a longer charging cable. Fortunately, at Voldt you can find type 2 charging cables, type 1 charging cables and type 3 charging cables up to 30 meters! Is your desired length not listed? Then please contact us quickly!

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So which charging solutions can you extend?

Mobile charging cables to 220-230V outlet (schuko), and mobile charging cables to power CEE outlets you can extend just fine. However, there are some important safety considerations to keep in mind:

Make sure the extension cable is grounded.
Make sure the extension cable is waterproof. Chances are that the plugs will be outside, so make sure the extension cable has a good IP rating.
Make sure to use a well-veined extension cable with sufficient thickness to avoid extreme heat generation and fire hazards. A charging cable up to 16A requires a thickness of 2.5mm² and a charging cable up to 32A requires conductors of 6mm².
Make sure you have a well-insulated cable that is sturdy and flexible to properly protect the wires in the cable.

Still, it is advisable to avoid extending an EV charging cable as much as possible and also connect a mobile charging cable directly to the wall socket. At Voldt you can find mobile charging cables up to as much as 15 meters!

Conclusion

With the growth of the electric vehicle market, the need for an efficient and safe charging method has become increasingly important. For safety reasons, it is not recommended to extend a charging cable. With a type 1, type 2 or type 3 charging cable, it is not even possible. If you do need more length, purchase a longer charging cable of up to 30 meters. A mobile charging cable to normal socket or power current (CEE) is certainly possible. However, this is not without risk and it is recommended to use only cables of the highest quality. But even with mobile charging cables, we recommend connecting directly to the wall outlet if at all possible.