Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Walking around Boulder, I sometimes see people running extension cords across the sidewalk to charge electric vehicles parked on the street.
It made me wonder what the best way to charge an EV is if you don’t have a garage or driveway.
As it turns out, Colorado is one of the few states with “right to charge laws.” That means in most cases, landlords can’t stop tenants from installing EV chargers at rental properties.
But running cords across the sidewalk to vehicles parked on streets is illegal.
Cords create a trip hazard, violate the national electrical code and pose a fire danger, said Rob Adriaens, the chief building official with the City of Boulder.
Most extension cords aren’t rated for the high current draws EV charging requires. Used for a long time, cords get hot and can start a fire.
The problem actually predates electric vehicles. For decades people have used extension cords to power block heaters that keep diesel engines running in cold weather.
The City of Boulder issues citations for people who charge cars parked on the street.
Adriaens said that the city is working to address the issue. He’s hopeful new technologies that have popped up in the United Kingdom, like EV changers that connect to lamp posts will make their way to North America.
Until then, drivers are best off using the public charging stations or sticking with a hybrid car.
Reporting by Cormac McCrimmon
#evcharging #boulder #ev
Walking around Boulder, I sometimes see people running extension cords across the sidewalk to charge electric vehicles parked on the street.
It made me wonder what the best way to charge an EV is if you don’t have a garage or driveway.
As it turns out, Colorado is one of the few states with “right to charge laws.” That means in most cases, landlords can’t stop tenants from installing EV chargers at rental properties.
But running cords across the sidewalk to vehicles parked on streets is illegal.
Cords create a trip hazard, violate the national electrical code and pose a fire danger, said Rob Adriaens, the chief building official with the City of Boulder.
Most extension cords aren’t rated for the high current draws EV charging requires. Used for a long time, cords get hot and can start a fire.
The problem actually predates electric vehicles. For decades people have used extension cords to power block heaters that keep diesel engines running in cold weather.
The City of Boulder issues citations for people who charge cars parked on the street.
Adriaens said that the city is working to address the issue. He’s hopeful new technologies that have popped up in the United Kingdom, like EV changers that connect to lamp posts will make their way to North America.
Until then, drivers are best off using the public charging stations or sticking with a hybrid car.
Reporting by Cormac McCrimmon
#evcharging #boulder #ev
