EV accessories worth buying, and the ones to skip
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The EV accessory market contains a few genuinely useful things and a great deal of nonsense. Here is which is which.
Worth buying
A cable bag. Unglamorous and the best value purchase on this list. A wet, dirty cable loose in the boot is unpleasant and shortens its life.
A second Type 2 cable, if you use untethered posts. Being caught without one at an untethered charger is a wasted journey. Get the right rating and length — see the cable buying guide.
The right adapter for your market. In the US, a CCS1-to-NACS adapter substantially expands where you can charge. Buy it from the manufacturer or a reputable brand; this carries high current.
A tyre inflator. EVs are heavy, correct pressures matter more than on a lighter car, and low pressure costs both range and tyre life.
Decent boot storage. Because the cables have to live somewhere.
Depends entirely
A granny cable (domestic three-pin). Useful as an emergency backup, useless as a primary method at roughly 2.3 kW. Some cars include one.
A charge port lock. Worth it in some areas, unnecessary in others.
Winter tyres. In a genuinely cold climate, a bigger improvement than most accessories on this page.
Skip
"Range boosters" and efficiency devices. There is no aftermarket device that meaningfully increases range. Driving style, tyre pressures and preconditioning do that, and they are free.
Unbranded high-current adapters. This is mains current in the rain, handled by hand. Not the place to save money.
Anything claiming to convert AC to DC charging. Not physically possible in a passive adapter.
Battery "conditioners". The car's own battery management system already does this, considerably better.
The one rule
If a product claims to improve something the manufacturer spent years optimising, and it costs £40, it does not do what it says.
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In pictures
Common questions
Are EV-specific floor mats worth it?
Only insofar as any decent mats are. There is nothing electric about a floor mat.
About the author
ElectraMile EditorialEditorial desk
The ElectraMile editorial team covers charging, running costs and EV ownership for readers in the UK and US.
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