Bonkers moment man tries to charge his electric car in flood waters

THIS is the bizarre moment a man is seen trying to charge his car – while almost knee deep in flood waters.

The driver could be seen with his trousers rolled up to his calves as he tried to balance on one leg to reach the charging port.

2

People were shocked when they saw the driver reverse through a foot of water outside a Berkshire hotel.

They feared he may electrocute himself, however this might not be the case.

Founder and CEO of Electrifying.com, Ginny Buckley, told The Sun Online: “You might think that electric cars and water don’t mix, and you wouldn’t be alone.

“In a survey Electrifying.com conducted in 2021, only 4 in 10 of drivers were confident that you could charge one in the rain. 

“But in fact, car makers have been extremely cautious when it comes to safety.

“Besides being well-sealed against the elements, the electronics in both the car and charger go through a series of checks before ‘releasing’ the power and letting it flow into the car. 

“If either the car or the charger sense the slightest hint of a short circuit or malfunction, it will shut off the flow. 

“However, these checks only work with a dedicated electric car charger.

“If you are using a traditional three-pin domestic plug to charge a vehicle, it can be as dangerous as using any other electric item in the wet, especially if you are also using an extension cable.

“It’s not something we’d recommend.”

According to boxt.com, this desperate driver is most likely not at risk due to the safety measures for electric vehicles.

They are designed to run in the same way as petrol operated cars, whatever the weather, and are perfectly safe to use even in torrential rain.

It is standard routine to waterproof any outdoor electrical equipment and there aren’t any special precautions to be taken while charging the motors at a dedicated point.

However, if water was to get into the electrical system, there is still no need to panic.

There is a mechanism in place to cut off any power in the car as soon as it detects moisture – meaning there will be no electric current flow.

Overall, EVs are designed and tested against to make sure they uphold international standards and would not pose any danger in a flood.

And it appeared the driver found this out for himself as he was pictured sitting happily in the back seat waiting for the car to charge.

But – it is still not a good idea to drive any motor through a flooded road and not what car experts would recommend.

2