So almost law in CA is a bill AB 475 which will allow ticketing of cars parked at chargers but not connected to chargers. I think this is a bad bill because anyone can disconnect a car and subject you to ticketing and towing. It seems to me a ticket is adding insult to injury if someone tampers with your charging car. And given the newness of this stuff, curious people may just screw you. Also, this prevents sharing of chargers as unplugging someone else's car once it's done charging will subject them to ticketing. Seems like a well intentioned but bad law.
Calling my reps office, they say the EVA, GM and others support it. Plug-in-America originally supported it but withdrew support once it learned of a Jun 21 amendment. My reps office said the GGEVA (Golden Gate Electric Vehicle Association) was still supporting it after this amendment. Waiting for the Assembly to concur with the amendment for final passage.
This has been a hot topic the past few days. Check out the thread on mynissanleaf.com: My Nissan Leaf Forum View topic - CA AB475 requires connection to the EVSE to avoid cite/tow Also, evchel's blog: GM to CA Volt drivers: evchels Another concern - it doesn't really qualify "charging". A bit extreme, but it was mentioned that someone could put a 12V battery tender on their aux battery of their ICE car and say that they were charging their battery. If the law is changed to no longer just allow 100% BEVs, someone could argue that any ICE is a battery/electric hybrid. It does have a 12V battery, and a starter motor that can propel the car (at ~1mph for 50 feet)... Sigh.
Like the EV noisemaker legislation, this seems like a solution in search of a problem, or at the very least rather premature. Despite anecdotes about being ICEd or even blocked by incompatible plug-ins, not every problem requires a law to fix it. As has already been discussed in many places, charger placement and driver etiquette education can go along way to mitigating this problem. Of course the politicians want to look like they're being helpful, but very few situations are helped when a cop shows up ready to write a ticket.
Conspiratorial hat says GM is trying to do work to slow down charging infrastructure. With gas backup a Volt needs no plugs.
Did you see Yanquetino's {rant} over here?: My Nissan Leaf Forum View topic - CA AB475 requires connection to the EVSE to avoid cite/tow
Just jumped as a news story: http://www.fastcompany.com/1775575/gm-sponsors-bill-that-could-create-problems-for-electric-car-owners?partner=gnews For those of you out of California, be aware that your state will probably copy this dumb law. It should be Veto'd. It says that you will be ticketed/towed if you are not charging while in an EV space. That means. If your charge finishes you will be towed. If someone flips your plug switch you will be towed. If someone unplugs you (with your permission) to plug in their car, you will be towed. If someone disconnects you and puts up the cable to do you a favor* you will be towed. *Columb bills you as long as you are plugged in, not by how long you are actually charging. Dr Computer tells of the parking attendants in one building adopting this "helpful" practice.
The darker side of EVSE sharing: My Nissan Leaf Forum View topic - MY ZEV license plate at LAX, Why did you unplug my Leaf?
Very good story on the subject: http://www.autoobserver.com/2011/08/ev-charger-law-spawning-new-gm-image-woes.html
Plug In America Action Alert: Urge Gov. Brown to Veto Misguided Plug-in Parking Bill - AB475 I emphasized the "make sure existing Chevy Volts were included"... Does the bill do something that would not permit 2011s, but would permit 2012s?
AB 475 (Butler): Vehicles: offstreet parking: electric vehicles. (California Assembly Bill) http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0451-0500/ab_475_bill_20110824_enrolled.pdf
Excuse Me, Can I Share That Charge? Proposed CA Law AB 475 Says No Butler Bill to Encourage Increased Electric Vehicle Use Passes First Committee - Assemblymember Betsy Butler Representing the 53rd California Assembly District - AD53
So Volts seem to be having no problem using public charging.... What was the purpose of this legislation again?
Yeah, hardly any of the public charge spots were signed and enforced for the old law, so the Volt was pulling right up unhindered. I heard that GM was worried that ZEV-owners might unplug the Volts, but in fact (in the case of the photo there), I used my ChargePass card to activate the ChargePoint for the Volt owner since they hadn't signed up yet.
Uh oh: Car and Driver Blog Public Charging in the EV Future: Why Proposed California Law AB 475 Needs to Be Enacted
Any indication as to whether or not Brown is getting the message? You'd think it would be pretty cut and dried that a bill purported to help the EV community, and yet is unwanted by that same community should be killed.