If you have an electric vehicle, make sure your home or business is properly and safely equipped to charge the vehicle. You should never use an extension cord to charge an electric vehicle because doing so could lead to a fire or electric shock. 

Following are some tips that the Electric Safety Foundation provides for electric vehicle owners. 

• Have a qualified electrician assess your home or business to ensure it has the right electrical capacity for EV charging. 

• Ensure you have enough space for an EV charger. 

• Make sure your charger and charging cords are certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NTRL). 

• Make sure you have adequate GFCI protection to avoid electric shocks. 

• All EV charger installations and site assessments should only be completed by qualified electricians. 

• Properly store charging cables to avoid damage that could lead to electric shocks and fires. 

• Cover EV charging stations to prevent water damage.   

• Make sure EV chargers are properly maintained. Avoid vehicle contact with chargers and never use a charger with damage.