As electric vehicles are getting popular day-by-day, people are raising a query very often: Is it safe to use your electric vehicle during rains and is it safe to charge your EV during rains? This concern stems from the fact that EVs run on electricity and that electricity and water are a dangerous combination. Another cause of concern is the fact that batteries are near the ground in most electric cars, can water logging make things unsafe?
The battery is the most important (and expensive) part of an electric vehicle. It produces electricity via chemical reactions, so it’s essential that the encasement of the battery needs to be strong & sealed enough to withstand external agents including dust & water. The protection level is denoted by what’s called an Ingress Protection (IP) rating.
In all EVs, there is an ‘Ingress Protection’ or IP rating system. IP ratings are actually on almost every electronic device, smartphone or kitchen appliance and yes, on our EVs as well. For instance, the Tata Nexon EV’s battery pack has an IP67 rating. The rating scale extends from 1-6 for dust protection, with 6 being the best protection. For water, the scale ranges from 1-9, with 9 being the best protection.
In case of Nexon’s IP67 rating, the first number (6) relates to the level of protection against dust particles or dirt. The second number (7) relates to protection against water. The IP rating means that your EV battery is safe from dust and water. The IP67 rating means the car can be submerged under 1 metre of water for up to 30 minutes, without any harm.
All EV batteries come with an IP rating that allows them to stay unaffected by water that might seep through during the rains. This means the battery can keep working even if it’s submerged under one metre of water for up to 30 minutes. Also due to the insulation surrounding the battery, there is no risk of water damage to any electric component when driving on a rainy day. Now that you have understood the IP rating system, it will be comforting to know that not just batteries, but whole electric cars & scooters, even EV chargers and EV charging cables come with IP ratings.
Do check the IP rating before purchasing any of these, and go for the highest rated product.
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In March 2022, MG Motors launched an upgraded version of the MG ZS EV. The company made two major changes in the electric SUV. Firstly, the battery capacity was increased from 44.5 kWh to 50.3 kWh. And secondly, this new battery pack came with an industry-best IP69K rating. The rating ‘9K’ is used to denote devices that come with water protection against high-pressure, high-temperature jet sprays, water or steam washes. This offers the highest level of protection.
A Query on Quora:
A potential electric car customer in Mumbai asked a question on a social media site: Will it be safe to drive an electric car in Mumbai’s pouring rain & waterlogged streets?
An expert responded: Electric vehicles are purposefully engineered to withstand rain and water intrusion. Not having a tail pipe in an electric car is also a plus point, as water cannot enter inside.
Electric two-wheelers are also tested rigorously before they are launched. For instance, the Ola S1 electric scooter comes with an IP67 rating, so even in the extreme case of flooded roads, there is nothing to worry about.
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