America, we have a size problem. Vehicles are larger than ever, and it turns out, it really doesn’t matter what powers them. Exhibit A: The Chevrolet Silverado EV.
Last week I spent time in the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV TrailBoss. The truck is 19.4 feet long. As a point of fact, no full-size truck sold in America today fits length wise in my garage, which is not tiny. Our house was built in 1997. With a gas truck, not a huge deal, the truck will just sit outside and get dirty, which admittedly will kill me bit-by-bit each day. But with an electric truck, that poses a new challenge. Turns out, extension cords for electric car chargers exist for this exact reason.
The Level 2 240-volt 48-amp EV charger wired in our garage is mounted in the front. This was done so regardless of an EV I am testing that week an issue wouldn’t arise. Charge port’s on the front fender or front end? Pull in. Charge port’s on the rear fender? Back in. No big deal. Truck won’t fit in the garage? That’s a problem.
Companies like A2ZEV and EVDance to Vevor and SKYSHALO EV all make extension cables for EV chargers both in J1772 and Tesla-style NACS configurations. The former, A2ZEV heard through the grapevine, also known as friend of The Drive and the man running Out of Spec, Kyle Conner, that a full-size electric truck wouldn’t fit in my garage where our EV charger was. Suddenly a box showed up from A2ZEV with a J1772 extension cord.
Last week I tested it, and low and behold, the simple device worked. Solved what is a rather dumb issue.
A regular extension cord should not really be used with any EV charger, and certainly not a Level 2 240-volt charger., which would pose its own challenges.
You can technically use a regular extension cord theoretically with a Level 1 120-volt EV charger in a pinch, but it’s not recommended, not what one might call safe, and really needs to be a thicker cord that is well insulated to deal with the continuous flow of energy and heat. From experience, the cord can get warm and that’s concern on it own.
These Level 2 extension cords from the various companies range in price, length, and even ratings for amps and output. The cord from A2ZEV is 16-feet long, rated for 48 amps, has an over-temperature sensor switch, and is certified by the FCC (EMI), CE certification on the connector, and UL certified as well. It costs $179.
Others, cost less or more money, depending on their specifications and your needs. EVdance’s cord is rated at 50 amps and is 40 feet long, but costs $339.95. Meanwhile, the cord from SKYSHALO EV is rated for 32 amps, is 21 feet long, and sold at Home Depot for $87.78. Vevor sells a cord with the same specs as SKYSHALO EV’s cord for $100.
Most Level 2 EV home chargers have cords that are 18 to 25 feet long. If a vehicle’s too large for the garage, like a pickup truck, and your EV charger is in the garage, turns out extension cords exist, and solve the problem.
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