So, you made the leap! You thought about this for a long time. You debated the pros and cons, and then, you finally invested in an electric vehicle. Now, as you drive home from work each day, you smile as you drive past that line of cars at the gas station, knowing your vehicle will plug in, charge at home, and be ready for the commute tomorrow. You’re feeling good about your EV and yourself.

Buying the EV was a debate in your household because it was a huge investment—way more than that big-screen TV you bought last year. But now that you’ve made the purchase, you look at it and admire the vehicle’s lines and its color. It sure looks sharp! As you consider all the things you’re going to do to take care of this fine machine, this investment—did surge protection make the list?

That’s right—you’re now plugging in this vehicle nearly every day. It’s an electric vehicle, and as such, it’s prone to all the dangers that other electronics face—including unexpected power surges and disruptions.

Power surges are sudden, sharp increases or decreases in voltage that can occur for various reasons. Many people relate surges to extreme weather conditions like hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms, blizzards, and of course, thunderstorms that produce lightning strikes; but other factors contribute to power fluctuations more often than you might realize. Main transformer faults or fires can result in sudden voltage changes to your home, as can brownouts, blackouts, and even sudden drops in voltage in the grid. All can lead to a power surge or reduction when the event happens and as power is restored and returned to normal levels.

Surges typically only last for a fraction of a second, but anyone who has been on the receiving end of a power disruption can tell you that a sudden change in power–even in a split second–can cause significant damage to electronic components, especially components as sensitive and critical as those in EV charging technologies.

Investing in surge protection for your EV and its charging station is way more critical than that monthly car wash membership or that wax application to protect its paint. Here’s why:

  1. Your EV may now be your most expensive electronic

Electric vehicles are packed with sensitive electronic components, including the battery management system (BMS), onboard chargers, and computer systems. A sudden power surge caused by grid fluctuations or lightning can damage these expensive components. Surge protection safeguards against these unexpected spikes, preventing extremely costly repairs or replacements for your electric vehicle.

  1. Maintaining your EV’s battery health is critical

The heart of an EV is its battery, which is highly sensitive to fluctuations in power. Sudden voltage spikes can degrade the battery’s lifespan, reduce performance, or even cause it to fail prematurely. A reliable surge protection system ensures that power delivered to the battery is stable. This preserves the battery’s lifespan and saves you money in the long run.  For this reason alone, a surge protector will pay for itself.

  1. You also need to ensure the safety of your charging station

If you’re using a home charging station, protecting that equipment is just as important as protecting your EV. Charging stations can also be vulnerable to power surges. Installing surge protection on your charging equipment not only protects the station, but it ensures your EV receives safe, consistent power.

  1. Protection from surge fluctuations will help you avoid downtime

Surge-related damage could lead to significant downtime for repairs, which is especially inconvenient for an EV owner who relies on their vehicle for daily transportation. By investing in surge protection, you mitigate the risk of unexpected breakdowns and extended periods without a working vehicle.

  1. Peace of Mind

Knowing that your vehicle, battery, and charging station are protected from power surges provides peace of mind. Whether at home or on the road, you can be confident that you’re minimizing potential risks to your investment.

One final piece of advice…

Knowing that you will likely also have to use remote power charging stations at some point in time, always search for stations that offer surge protection. More than one EV owner has reported experiencing damage to their vehicle due to power surges at unprotected stations. In the case of power and your EV, that old adage may apply: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Explore surge protection solutions for your EV here.