EV owner really divided other drivers with their ‘bizarre’ charging method
- This EV owner used a storm drain pipe as a charging cable cover
- The method divided the EV community over its pros and cons
- Although it is risky, not all stormwater pipes are active
Published on Nov 12, 2024 at 4:31 PM (UTC+4)
by Nalin Rawat
Last updated on Nov 12, 2024 at 5:32 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
An Australian electric vehicle owner’s bizarre – and potentially dangerous – charging method has left people truly baffled.
A photo of the unorthodox charging setup was first shared on The Ray Hadley Morning Show on Sydney’s 2GB Radio, and it certainly set tongues wagging.
In the photo, a green EV can be seen charging on the street with the cord seemingly leading straight from the storm pipe in the gutter.
Anyone with even a shred of common sense and basic electrical knowledge will know that mixing electricity and water isn’t an intelligent plan.
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Radio host shocked by bizarre charging method
The photo was sent in by a listener of the show and the host described it as ‘the most remarkable photo I think I’ve seen’.
Although we have seen people try different things to charge their EV cars, this one boggles the mind.
After all, even if this isn’t a storm drain, it’s still running right along the bottom of the sidewalk – there’s got to be water down there, right?
What’s more, others have pointed out that it’s a trip hazard.
“He grabs the charging cable and the extension lead coming through the stormwater pipe,” Hadley told the listeners.
“I don’t know whether he knows that water and electricity don’t really mix and could cause him some sort of problem,” he added.
This situation also reminds us of some other strange methods we have seen people use to charge their electric vehicles.
In another instance, a Tesla Cybertruck owner used mobile solar panels to charge the car.
EV owner criticized by the community
Listeners of the show also took to the station’s Facebook page to criticize this seemingly dangerous charging method.
“Well that’s a disaster waiting to happen, some people lack good old common sense these days,” one commented.
However, some people also defended the EV owner.
“Genius idea, not every pipe that goes to the curb is necessarily active stormwater and no one is going to trip,” said one commenter.
That view isn’t shared by the authorities in the area, and one New South Wales official detailed his own personal experience with charging cable chaos.
“There was no attempt to put anything over the cable, and it had rained the night before, so it was nice and wet,” Keith Bensley told Daily Mail Australia.
“If (water) had got in between the plug and the socket. It can actually burn and could start a fire if it was on dry grass.”
Furthermore, Sydney’s Mosman Council moved a year ago to stop EV drivers running cables across public footpaths as it could be ‘potentially unsafe’ for pedestrians.
Nalin started his career by working with various national newspapers in India. He has also worked as a writer/editor for many popular websites, while still pursuing his journalism and mass communication degree. Working as a digital nomad has allowed him to inform and educate through his work. When he is not writing, you can find him playing video games or travelling the mountains on his bike.
