How do you get a cable for charging my electric vehicle?
Unlike most hybrids and petrol or diesel cars, electric vehicles need to be plugged in to recharge from time to time, topping up the battery level and giving you more range for your next journey.
To do this, you’ll need a cable to connect your vehicle’s onboard charging port to an ultrafast charging station, an at-home charge point, or a standard 3-pin wall plug.
But where do you get a cable for charging an electric vehicle? In this guide, we’ll look at places to get an EV charging cable and what you need to know about each.
We’ll keep things quite general. Most of this will also apply to less common types of charging connectors (e.g. Tesla/CHAdeMO) and CCS chargers and DC connections, but we’re discussing the cable rather than specific connectors.
EV Charging Cable With A New Vehicle
Most of the top makes and models of electric vehicles on the market come with a charging cable as standard — you wouldn’t get very far without one! In some cases, this might be treated as an extra accessory, so check and add a compatible cable when buying an EV if you need one.
When you lease an electric car, your leasing provider will often include a charging cable too. Again, this is an essential piece of kit if you want to use your EV more than once, but it’s worth checking the details of your lease agreement to make sure a charging cable is bundled in with the car itself.
Types Of EV Charging Cable
You should check the type of charging cable you’ll get, if there’s one supplied with the vehicle. If you want to charge the car overnight at home and don’t have a dedicated EV at-home charging point, you’ll need a charger with a standard 3-pin wall plug.
In contrast, if you want to be able to use untethered charging points (high-power chargepoints without a built-in cable), you’ll usually need a Type 2 connector at the chargepoint end of the cable, no matter whether your vehicle uses Type 1 or Type 2 for its onboard port.
So there are a few different types of EV charging cables to look out for:
- Vehicle end: Usually Type 1 or Type 2
- Chargepoint end: Usually Type 2 or 3-pin plug
You may need more than one cable. For example, if you charge your vehicle from a 3-pin wall socket at home, but want to be able to plug it into Type 2 charging points at work or on the road.
Manufacturer Replacement EV Charging Cables
You can often get replacement EV charging cables directly from the manufacturer, and this might be your preferred option if you drive one of the newest models of EV on the market and want to put your trust in OEM EV charging cables.
Some manufacturers offer premium charging cables, including built-in timers, the ability to adjust the amount of current drawn from the socket, and certified weather and water resistance ratings.
When you buy a replacement charging cable for electric cars directly from the manufacturer, you can also be confident that you’re getting a cable that is perfectly compatible with your vehicle’s electronics — and on a practical note, one that will fit into your car’s cable storage compartment, if it has one.
Third-Party EV Charging Cable Supplier
A growing number of third-party EV charging cable suppliers offer a variety of cables at different prices. This allows you to choose a cable with the right connectors on both ends and either replace your original cable, or make sure you have a spare when needed.
This is not a bad way to get a replacement charging cable for an electric car, especially if you cannot buy one from the vehicle’s manufacturer for some reason. Just be careful not to void your warranty or breach the terms of your EV leasing agreement.
Remember that EVs have some sensitive electronics onboard, which are most at risk when connected to a highly powered ultra-rapid charging post. If you’ve decided to drive one of the top makes and models of electric cars, you might want to spend a little extra on a premium charging cable with built-in protection.
Overall, charge points, cables and your car’s own charging system all have safeguards integrated to reduce the risk of anything going wrong while topping up the vehicle’s range.
Tethered Charge Point Charging Cable
Tethered charge points have their own built-in charging cable, which plugs directly into the vehicle’s charging port. The cable might be Type 1 or Type 2, and must be compatible with your car’s onboard connector to charge from it.
If you have a tethered charge point at home, there are some circumstances under which you might need to replace the charging cable (e.g. weather damage or long-term wear and tear), and this is usually not too difficult to do.
You should leave the electrical work to a certified engineer, but most tethered charge points are designed so that disconnecting the damaged cable is relatively easy, allowing a replacement tethered charging cable to be installed.
The replacement cable may be purchased from the charge point manufacturer or a third-party supplier, just as you would with an untethered EV charging cable.
Final Thoughts
The charging cable you use to plug your electric vehicle into a 3-pin wall socket, an at-home charge point or a public charging station can affect how fast your battery recharges. It also offers extra protection to your car’s onboard electronics during high-power charging.
It’s essential to have an EV charging cable compatible with your vehicle’s onboard charging port (usually Type 1 or Type 2) and the chargepoint or wall socket you want to plug it into.
If in doubt, ask your EV leasing provider. They’ll usually be able to suggest an EV charging cable supplier or supply you with a compatible cable directly, in line with the terms of your leasing agreement.
