SWMBO's biggest bugbear with the EV is the cable.
We have to charge outside due to the mandated location of he charging point.

She hates dealing with a cable that is cold, wet, often dirty and needs to be rolled up and put in the car every time (seperate cable and charger).

anyone know of any clever cable management ideas?

Maybe getting a Fiat Panda EV with its coil / spiral type cable that pulls out of the front of the car and goes back in. No idea if the coil cable will be like land line phones were and the coils go wonky.

Edited 7 January7 Jan by Evolution13

We need about 5m of cable so not sure a curly one would work.

I've seen support wires but they were £300 or something rediculous.
Might just be a hose hanger and a padlock that is the thing to do it.

14 minutes ago, Aspman said:

We need about 5m of cable so not sure a curly one would work.

I've seen support wires but they were £300 or something rediculous.
Might just be a hose hanger and a padlock that is the thing to do it.

I use hanging basket hooks.

It is the occasional clean that is abit of a pain.

My 10m 22kw 3 phase one is a bit of a beast.

I see Amazon are doing extensions to tethered cables now which could be useful if EV needing charging is in row 2 from the tethered charger, might try one.

I will be getting one for me. Green not Orange.

Got my last cable from Cord EV, a newish company in Birmingham, a woman orientated company i think, my order, less than £90 for a 10m 3 phase 22 kw capable cable, was supposed to come as bright pink ends but they range me and asked if I would accept white, OK I said.

I have some yellow tie wraps to make it more visible in the darkness. The hanging basket hooks set a 2m work well but could do with one or two stands, like cloak stands, to hold tge cables up high so postie does not trip etc. Needs to be ultra stable and will not dent the cars if topples.

1 hour ago, lol-lol said:

Got my last cable from Cord EV, a newish company in Birmingham, a woman orientated company i think, my order, less than £90 for a 10m 3 phase 22 kw capable cable, was supposed to come as bright pink ends but they range me and asked if I would accept white, OK I said.

I have some yellow tie wraps to make it more visible in the darkness. The hanging basket hooks set a 2m work well but could do with one or two stands, like cloak stands, to hold tge cables up high so postie does not trip etc. Needs to be ultra stable and will not dent the cars if topples.

What about something like this?

https://www.vevor.de/kabelkanaele-c_10747/4x-1-kanal-schlauchbruecke-kabelbruecke-lkw-pkw-ueberfahrschutz-kabel-schutz-bruecke-p_010438232388?adp=gmc&country=DE&

3 minutes ago, Lee01 said:

What about something like this?

https://www.vevor.de/kabelkanaele-c_10747/4x-1-kanal-schlauchbruecke-kabelbruecke-lkw-pkw-ueberfahrschutz-kabel-schutz-bruecke-p_010438232388?adp=gmc&country=DE&

I have got some of this. One of my issues is whilst the R5 and Scenic have their charge points left front wing looking forward ie Passenger side for uk rhd vehicles, the Mini Cooper has the cgarge port right side rear ie Drivers side where the dino juice filler would be. Thus means the cable can need to go a variety of routes across the drive and even a bit over front grass sometimes.

More of a fan of the aerial route. Perhaps get myself one of those fake Victorian gas lamppost to hang it from, would enjoy the irony.

As to charge ports it would be good if consistent. Quite liked the Zoe's on the nose.

As Bjorn Nyland says, and Tom Robinson, the Left side is the right side and the Right side is the wrong side !

Edited 7 January7 Jan by lol-lol

Tihs would be the thing but not for £1400

https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/5095360-8m-7-4kw-type-2-spring-return-ev-cable-reel-ip44

And this is fugly but might do the trick for less.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barkan-Protective-Charging-Weatherproof-Retractor/dp/B0DTV6QGNR?th=1

Ya know I was thinking a little more about it after lol_lol's reply last night and thought 'what about something like they use at the jet wash place' where the hose goes OH on an arm and there it is!
IME those spring loaded retractable things seem to not work so well when it gets colder.

How about using a suitable sized 'Bosbag' type of flexible garden bag to keep the cable in when not in use?

4 minutes ago, Warrior193 said:

How about using a suitable sized 'Bosbag' type of flexible garden bag to keep the cable in when not in use?

she still needs to wind up the cable and get her hands wet/dirty, it would be easier to store.
I think some form of extention arm is the thing. I had thought about it before and wondered if i could get the local engineering firm/fabricators to do something.

13 minutes ago, Aspman said:

she still needs to wind up the cable and get her hands wet/dirty, it would be easier to store.
I think some form of extention arm is the thing. I had thought about it before and wondered if i could get the local engineering firm/fabricators to do something.

Send the apprentice out for some Sky Hooks.

A spare spirit level bubble and a golden rivet whilst there at it.

If I could put one of my 2 axis solar arrays in the front garden that could multi task but neighbours might not be happy and if the rate of cable theft continues then scum would probably nick the cable and the cable holder despite the area being illuminated like Crystal Palace by PIR.

PIR just makes it easier for the scumbags to work. Non-drying security paint would prbably work better.

36 minutes ago, Lee01 said:

Ya know I was thinking a little more about it after lol_lol's reply last night and thought 'what about something like they use at the jet wash place' where the hose goes OH on an arm and there it is!
IME those spring loaded retractable things seem to not work so well when it gets colder.

they do exist but look expensive

https://wepoweryourcar.com/about/chargearm/

This was the thing I originally was thinking of but couldn't find. Still £300 for a restractable washing line.

https://www.ecowizard.co.uk/electric-vehicle-charger-accessories/cable-up-cable-management/

Edited 8 January8 Jan by Aspman

@Aspman My error, i thought she was gathering up the cable and putting in the car to take with her. For home, just a wheeled tote box / karty does to coil the cable into. Keep the gloves in it as well.

Edited 8 January8 Jan by Evolution13

23 hours ago, Evolution13 said:

@Aspman My error, i thought she was gathering up the cable and putting in the car to take with her. For home, just a wheeled tote box / karty does to coil the cable into. Keep the gloves in it as well.

She normally does or did bundle it into the car as it's that or leave it lying in the drive.
Admittedly now she's p2ssed off with it enough she does leave it lying on the ground in the drive.

On 07/01/2026 at 13:22, Aspman said:

SWMBO's biggest bugbear with the EV is the cable.
We have to charge outside due to the mandated location of he charging point.

She hates dealing with a cable that is cold, wet, often dirty and needs to be rolled up and put in the car every time (seperate cable and charger).

anyone know of any clever cable management ideas?

Zappi with the integrated hanger or an Anderson’s a2/similar?

For non tethered a couple of generic hangers and double sided Velcro in a cupboard work just fine too.

How much do you hate it… Not cheap but….

https://schilluk.co.uk/product-selection/retractable/ft-series-electric-vehicle-charging/

On 09/01/2026 at 21:30, Monkhai said:

How much do you hate it… Not cheap but….

https://schilluk.co.uk/product-selection/retractable/ft-series-electric-vehicle-charging/

Yep mentioned that one above, not sure we hate it £2k