Electric shock while plugging in my EV charging cable… anyone else had this?

Discussion
1

I drive a 2021 VW ID.4. After getting back from the gym early this morning, I went to plug it in at a usual charging spot at the end of the road.

Here’s what happened:

I got out, opened the trunk, grabbed the cable, and plugged it into the car first. Then I started pulling the cable towards the charging pole when I suddenly got a huge electric shock. It was so strong it knocked me to the ground—I honestly felt like I’d been kicked. Took a moment to get myself together.

Here’s what I’ve been considering might be factors:

  • I had rubber-soled running shoes on
  • No jacket that could’ve created static, and this didn’t feel like a minor static shock
  • There was a Tesla charging nearby, but I don’t think that would impact my car
  • The ground was a bit dewy, but the cable was dry since it was stored in the trunk
  • I was holding my phone and a metal water bottle
  • Important detail: I hadn’t even plugged it into the charging pole yet—just the car side. The shock was instantaneous, and I’m not sure if I dropped the cable right away or if I pulled back as it happened.

The cable seems fine, no visible damage, and I’ve kept it in good condition. I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced something like this with an EV charging cable?

I’ll definitely be calling a few places about this, but I wanted to share here and see if anyone has any similar stories or ideas.

2

It sounds like your car built up a static charge that discharged through you. It’s nearly impossible for the charging cable itself to shock you without the car showing multiple faults first. If there was an issue, the car would automatically isolate the battery.

3

@Imani
If it was static buildup, maybe try plugging the cable into the charging station first, then the car. This way, the cable is grounded through the charging station before you connect it to the vehicle.

4

@Thomas
Yep, my car manual and the safety label on my cable both say to plug into the wall or charger first, then the car.

5

kwame said:
@Thomas
Yep, my car manual and the safety label on my cable both say to plug into the wall or charger first, then the car.

That’s the right way to do it.

6

@Thomas
Yep, plug into the EVSE first to ground it. Also, it’s good to refer to it as an EVSE instead of a ‘charger’.

7

@Thomas
I’m surprised if this isn’t already a law.

8

@Thomas
I wonder if either my car or the Tesla nearby somehow built up a charge, and plugging in was enough to discharge it. The thing is, I only touched the cable, not the car itself.

9

sorphia said:
@Thomas
I wonder if either my car or the Tesla nearby somehow built up a charge, and plugging in was enough to discharge it. The thing is, I only touched the cable, not the car itself.

I doubt a nearby Tesla charging would cause a static charge buildup on your car. That charge would typically dissipate before you plug in.

10

@martin
If there’s a fault in the underground wiring, it could energize the ground. You’d feel it as soon as you step in that area.

11

sorphia said:
@Thomas
I wonder if either my car or the Tesla nearby somehow built up a charge, and plugging in was enough to discharge it. The thing is, I only touched the cable, not the car itself.

If it was a DC discharge from the car itself, you’d probably be in serious trouble. DC shocks can be lethal.

12

@MAKENA
AC charging cables don’t even touch the DC pins.

13

Robert said:
@MAKENA
AC charging cables don’t even touch the DC pins.

Yeah, but even if there was DC voltage from the battery, OP wouldn’t be here to talk about it.

14

Robert said:
@MAKENA
AC charging cables don’t even touch the DC pins.

In theory, yes. Though technically, a fault in the car’s internal systems could expose DC voltage to the pins. But that’s rare and shouldn’t happen.

15

@diallo
It would require multiple failures to allow DC voltage through the charging port, though.

16

Robert said:
@diallo
It would require multiple failures to allow DC voltage through the charging port, though.

Exactly—there would have to be several issues, and you’d need a significant isolation breach.

17

sorphia said:
@Thomas
I wonder if either my car or the Tesla nearby somehow built up a charge, and plugging in was enough to discharge it. The thing is, I only touched the cable, not the car itself.

Honestly, you should see a doctor and report this to the authorities. Electric shocks can cause internal damage that might not be obvious at first.

Also, there’s a chance it could be a ground fault in the area—worth checking out.

18

@Robert
Definitely. Shocks like that can mess with your heart for hours or days afterward.

19

@Robert
But hey, any shock you can walk away from is a lesson learned, right? :blush:

20

Mark said:
@Robert
But hey, any shock you can walk away from is a lesson learned, right? :blush:

Electricians do have a high rate of injury from shocks, even if most fatalities happen from falls off ladders!