Use THIS LINK and discount code 25EVDBILL for 25% off the EVDANCE charger extension cable
If you’ve ever been traveling and run across a level 2 EV charger cord that’s too short—or maybe even at home—this episode of EV Rider is going to solve that problem once and for all.
In the video at the top of this post you’ll see EVDance’s 40-foot-long, Level-2 EV charger extension cable in action. It’s rated for 50-amps or up to 12 kW of continuous current.
I’m sure long-time EV owners are already running through the scenarios in their minds of how this extension cable could help out in a pinch. But for you newer EV owners, let me give you a couple of personal, real-life examples.
I tend to go on a lot of road trips. I put more than 67,000 miles on my last EV, driving to more than 20 states. Sometimes I stay with friends or family, or at hotels. Occasionally what I’ll find is the cords are just too short. Or, if I’m overnight charging at a friend’s house with just a regular household outlet, maybe that outlet is in the back of the garage and my charging cable just won’t reach. This solves all those problems.
Another problem that you’re likely to run into at some point is you’ll occasionally find gasoline drivers that park smack in an EV spot in a shopping center or a parking garage, blocking the charger. When this happens if there’s another spot one or two spaces over, you’ll have no problem since you’ll have 40-feet of additional length to work with.
I’m fortunate to live in a home with a garage, but I do remember the days of living in downtowns, so I do understand the plight of EV owners that might be in an urban environment, in an apartment complex, or another spot that might be away from chargers. Again, a 40-foot extension cable—in addition to whatever your regular cable’s length is, gives you a lot of flexibility that’s likely to come in handy.
Having the extension cable could also save you money by allowing your electrician to skip a long cable run when installing a charger. Or, if you’ve already got a Level 2 outlet, for example in the laundry room, the extension cable might save you from needing to install a second outlet in the garage or driveway.
The extension cable comes with its own carrying case, so it’s easy to just put it in your frunk or some place out of the way. It includes a UL-rated cable, IP 66 water and dust resistance rating along with a 4400-lb load resistance. Bottom line: this is one sturdy accessory that appears very well made. During my day-long testing, it never became warm to the touch inside the garage.
Although it’s rated at 50-amps and 12 kW of continuous current, I personally wouldn’t push it that hard. I would limit it to no more than just under 10 kW. That’s because I prefer to maintain a wide safety margin, rather than pushing a product to its absolute limit.
For new EV owners that may not be aware, most EVs allow you to manually set the amperage that the EV will accept in your car’s infotainment system when you’re AC charging.
If your car doesn’t have that feature, and if you’ve got a smart charger, the charger or the charger’s smartphone app may also allow you to adjust amperage.
There are a few EVs out there that can take in more than 12 kW of continuous power. For example, Hummer EVs can handle 19.2 kW, so you’ve got to be sure if you’re going to use this cable with the fastest AC charging EVs that you dial the power back. Exceeding any charging component’s power or use rating is never a good idea.
Another thing, if you’re new to EVs: this cable will only going to work for level 1 or level 2 AC charging. It will not work at level 3 DC fast chargers, such as a Tesla Supercharger or an Electrify America station. And again, for you new EV owners, there are two main types of level 2 chargers: J-1772, which is what my review unit has, and NACS, which is what you see on Teslas and some of the brand-new EVs.
EVDance has got you covered either way. You can get either an NACS or a J1772 extension cable. And for you EV Rider viewers, the company is offering a 25% discount for anyone that want to purchase one. Use THIS LINK and discount code 25EVDBILL at checkout
Editor’s Note: EVDance provided EV Rider with the charging extension cable featured in this review but did not have any editorial input into this video’s or post’s production, nor did it see an advance copy of the video. EV Rider’s editorial policy regarding review units is available here for anyone that would like to review it.