EV Charging etiquette

[gavine]

Why not leave a note that says "car will notify me when charging is complete and I will move the car immediately"? At least people will know that you are courteous and that the spot will likely open soon.

Regarding the the rude letter-writer, by his logic, it would be like an SUV getting mad at a Prius for being in line at a gas station.

 

[mknox]

Have posted this before, but I find this card, left on the dash, to be quite helpful:

 

[iffatall]

I am also not very comfortable leaving my phone number on the dash. And regarding who is in a more desperate need of a charge, I will say again what I have always said - whether you need a charge can be determined by you and you alone. No matter how well I know or understand your circumstances, I cannot determine if you actually need to charge. I understand it may be frustrating of me to have to wait for someone to clear up a spot, especially when I am in a rush, but we have to bear with this until the charging infrastructure expands. If I want to avoid the frustration, I have to plan better, no matter what car I am driving.

When I am desperate for a charge, and cannot find a spot, the frustration is same whatever car I am driving and whatever car is taking the spot up. Now you and I may be equally desperate at different levels of SoC and destinations, and that should be acceptable.

(All this assuming there is no wrong doing at either ends)

 

[Canuck]

I am also not very comfortable leaving my phone number on the dash. And regarding who is in a more desperate need of a charge, I will say again what I have always said - whether you need a charge can be determined by you and you alone. No matter how well I know or understand your circumstances, I cannot determine if you actually need to charge...

I still don't understand why leaving your cell phone number is a concern. Even with the jerk who posted the note to the OP, I don't know how him having your cell number is any different than him waiting by the car for you to return, if he intended to cause you harm, which also seems unlikely.

Also, I don't agree that charges are only to be done when needed. Most charging stations around here sit empty the vast majority of the time. I just returned from the mall close to me and both were empty. What's the harm in picking up some extra electrons while leaving a note that if someone needs it, you will return? People take notice of parked electric cars charging and it sparks more interest in electric vehicles. I know it always did for me before I got my electric cars and I constantly get asked questions by passer-bys when at a charging station.

 

[Rlsarch]

@TTT said it earlier, use the Supercharger QR app. great you do not give up any personal information and they concerned party can scan the QR code and a message is sent to you phone to let you know that someone is in need of the spot. works great!

 

[Crispix]

That note was very rude and you have every right to charge there.

I do think it's nice to leave a note on the windshield with contact info. I keep one in the glove box that simply says: "Call or text: nnn-nnn-nnnn" and it's a Google Voice number, totally anonymous.

If you're concerned about leaving a phone number, just get a gmail account that forwards to your regular email and leave that on your windshield. Anyone who has an electric car that wants to get in touch with you will be able to send an email.

No one has ever used it to contact me, though. Although I've contacted someone who left a note on his Leaf when I needed to charge at a hotel, and that worked out really well.

 

[mknox]

I still don't understand why leaving your cell phone number is a concern.

Agreed. I leave my cell number on the dash. I've even left a note with my cell number on another car asking them to call me when they were done so I could charge.

 

[karmamule]

Anyone who presumes to know a stranger's situation and insult them on those presumptions has no moral high ground to stand on. When I see a plug-in vehicle in a space meant for a plug-in vehicle and it's actually using it, then that's end of story: they have a right to be there. We can quibble on who's "need" is greater, but no stranger can know another's situation, so they are in no position to judge you.

It looks like resentment at someone else's good fortune had more influence than rational thought in this case.

 

[Kipernicus]

That note was just appalling. I agree with other posts here that all cars have equal right to charge, and who is to say that a Volt or Tesla should have lower priority than any other plug-in car? In your case you actually didn't have enough to get to your destination and were entirely justified in using it.

I think you were lucky to find an available chargepoint when you really needed it. My experience has been the opposite - public chargers, especially the free ones, are always taken, especially when you really need it.

 

[mejojo]

Once, while charging my VOLT at one of the 4 110V outlets in my work parking structure, I got an alert that my charge was interrupted.

Thinking it could have been anything from the breaker tripping to someone trying to steal my charger, I rushed out to the structure to find a note that said "Electricity is NOT FREE" and the charger was unplugged.

Some people are just not ready for this progression....I guess it's fear?

 

[skboston]

It appears, that just because you drive a Tesla you have less of a charging rights than other EV owners

mejojo is correct, some people just don't want to grow and embrace the change.

 

[mknox]

Once, while charging my VOLT at one of the 4 110V outlets in my work parking structure, I got an alert that my charge was interrupted.

Thinking it could have been anything from the breaker tripping to someone trying to steal my charger, I rushed out to the structure to find a note that said "Electricity is NOT FREE" and the charger was unplugged.

Some people are just not ready for this progression....I guess it's fear?

To be fair, did you have permission to use that outlet? I think a J1772 station is one thing. It is set up specifically for vehicle charging. Outlets, on the other hand, are everywhere and are not necessarily intended for everyone's use.

 

[Doug_G]

I've never experienced any charging problems other than ICEing, but probably it's just a matter of time. Someone will be jealous / hate EVs / thinks he has more rights to charge his Volt than my Tesla / whatever. Some people are just rude.

This guy, whoever he was, was rude and just plain WRONG. You had every right to use the charge station.

 

[mejojo]

Yes, they are dedicated EV charging slots. I've been using them for 2 1/2 years.

 

[Crispix]

Some people are just not ready for this progression....I guess it's fear?

And a bit of anger. EVs often get free juice and prime parking spots. I totally get the misdirected anger from the guy who has just filled up his tank for $60 and has been hunting for a parking space for 10 minutes, just to see an EV plugged in for free right next to the elevator. I don't agree that it's cause for anger, but I get it.

Throw in free use of the HOV lanes and the perception that EVs are a toy for the rich and, well, it makes the early adopters look privileged and therefore subject to this kind of scrutiny.

Gotta take the high road. Shrug it off, charge your car, and stay polite.

 

[mejojo]

When I get my Model S, I think I will need to give up charging at work in deference to other cars that need it (EV) or will use it to avoid using gas (Volt, plug-in Hybrids), while knowing there will likely be unused charging spots that I *could* be using available to pick up some "free" electricity. I wonder if putting a sign to call me if they want the spot would be good enough. I would have to be confident that a Volt would call me even though they don't NEED a charge....and I'm not so sure about that.

Actually, I guess I'm in somewhat of the same spot now....my VOLT doesn't NEED a charge, but I would be using gas to get home. But if a Leaf NEEDED a charge, as of now they are out of luck.

BTW, I have begged my employer to increase the numbers of EV slots, or upgrade to 240V chargers and implement a "half day" usage model. No action.

 

[mknox]

Yes, they are dedicated EV charging slots. I've been using them for 2 1/2 years.

Yeah, so probably just some jerk who unplugged you. There is a shopping center near my home with a J1772 station and there have been numerous complaints of cars being unplugged by someone. In some cases, bogus notes claiming to be from mall security are left on the cars. So far no "keying" or other vandalism, but a troubling trend.

- - - Updated - - -

Throw in free use of the HOV lanes and the perception that EVs are a toy for the rich and, well, it makes the early adopters look privileged and therefore subject to this kind of scrutiny.

Yep. I don't use the HOV lanes myself for this very reason.

 

[Lloyd]

Once, while charging my VOLT at one of the 4 110V outlets in my work parking structure, I got an alert that my charge was interrupted.

Thinking it could have been anything from the breaker tripping to someone trying to steal my charger, I rushed out to the structure to find a note that said "Electricity is NOT FREE" and the charger was unplugged.

Some people are just not ready for this progression....I guess it's fear?

Did you ask permission? If you did not, then I would agree with the landlord's response.

Your area has a top rate of .58/kwh. If you take 17.1 kwh. every day at the peak rate, that's ~10/day. Average rate is about 1/2 that, so $5 per day is likely what it is costing the owner.

 

[Crispix]

Did you ask permission? If you did not, then I would agree with the landlord's response.

You grunched! Already answered in post #34: they are dedicated charging spots. Nastygram was from a stranger. Mejojo is zen about it.

 

[R²B]

Bumping this to ask how people handle situations where all the Tesla chargers are occupied by ICE vehicles? I nearly had this situation arise for me over Thanksgiving weekend at the Casa Grande supercharge (luckily there was 1 remaining open stall). Had they all been occupied by ICE vehicles would the proper course of action be to go inside the restaurant where the parking is being used (Culver's) and tell the manager? Not sure what the right way to handle it is...