Inconsiderate EV owner yanks charger while car is being charged...

[Rudr]

I had plugged in my car (at a charge station at my workplace) this a.m. and about 45 mins later I get a notification that the charging has been interrupted. I go to check on my car after about an hour and notice that the charger has been yanked out of my car and is being used to charge another EV in the spot next to mine. The charge port adaptor was still inserted in my car's open port.
I was very annoyed with the owner of the car and left a note letting them know that it is inconsiderate and harmful to remove the charger when a car is being charged and that they should ask the valet (we have a valet service at my workplace) to let them know when a station is available.

Have any other owners faced this situation and any tips on how to prevent this from happening/how have you addressed this situation? Also any harm to the car/battery if the proper process is not followed?

 

[DOCAL]

Never had that happen at my office, but if someone did it I'd be reporting them to the on site security and having a word with their management.

 

[thecloud]

I'm betting this was a short-range EV, probably a Leaf. Am I right?

This sort of behavior goes on all the time. Unfortunately, some short-range EV owners feel that their lower-range battery entitles them to use the charger ahead of you. There's a 14-page thread discussing it here:

Public Charging Etiquette - Unplugging Teslas from J1772s

There's no harm to the battery, but obviously there is serious inconvenience if you need the charge to get home.

 

[Evoforce]

There is a locking mechanism that you can buy. Google J1772 charge cord lock.

 

[thecloud]

There is a locking mechanism that you can buy. Google J1772 charge cord lock.

Specifically, EVANNEX makes this locking plastic ring:
CapturePro Charging Lock for Tesla Model S
CapturePro Charging Lock for Tesla Model 3

 

[croman]

I'm betting this was a short-range EV, probably a Leaf. Am I right?

This sort of behavior goes on all the time. Unfortunately, some short-range EV owners feel that their lower-range battery entitles them to use the charger ahead of you. There's a 14-page thread discussing it here:

Public Charging Etiquette - Unplugging Teslas from J1772s

There's no harm to the battery, but obviously there is serious inconvenience if you need the charge to get home.

Its the owner, not the type of car. I have a leaf and I assure you if a "short-range" EV owner needed the L2, I'd give it to them. A Tesla can make do whereas they probably needed the juice.

There are nicer ways though than yanking a charging cable out and that's on the owner, not the size of the battery.

 

[SMAlset]

Wow that's a lot of gaul to touch someone else's property. I'd definitely talk to someone in corporate about it. I've the seen the locks and if that's typical of behavior at your firm, I'd pick one up and use it.

 

[BerTX]

Not condoning what this person did, but have a little understanding. Most other EVs flash an indicator light to show that they are charging. Tesla does not. Owners of other EVs think your car is finished charging and are likely cursing you for leaving your car plugged in and taking up a spot when you are not charging.

 

[Evoforce]

Wow that's a lot of gaul to touch someone else's property. I'd definitely talk to someone in corporate about it. I've the seen the locks and if that's typical of behavior at your firm, I'd pick one up and use it.

They didn't touch his property, they touched the charge cord that is provided by their employer.

 

[thecloud]

Not condoning what this person did, but have a little understanding. Most other EVs flash an indicator light to show that they are charging. Tesla does not. Owners of other EVs think your car is finished charging and are likely cursing you for leaving your car plugged in and taking up a spot when you are not charging.

Not sure I agree. The lack of an indicator light is simply an excuse that's used to justify their actions. If it's a ChargePoint station (the ones I'm most familiar with), the station itself indicates whether the car is still charging, but that didn't stop people from unplugging me anyway.

 

[SMAlset]

They didn't touch his property, they touched the charge cord that is provided by their employer.

Sorry but the OP who was charging with equipment his employer provided had every right to use it as he was. The fact he got an interrupt message goes to show he was still in the process of charging. The second car was in the wrong.

 

[Evoforce]

Sorry but the OP who was charging with equipment his employer provided had every right to use it as he was. The fact he got an interrupt message goes to show he was still in the process of charging. The second car was in the wrong.

I didn't render an opinion, only an observation...

 

[Akikiki]

There is a locking mechanism that you can buy. Google J1772 charge cord lock.

Yes, and they work. But you risk making the violator even madder at a Tesla owner and doing damage to the car. Its bad but it could be worse.

 

[Evil Twin]

Am I the only one here that would have a "discussion" with buddy when he came back to his car?

 

[.jg.]

Its the owner, not the type of car. I have a leaf and I assure you if a "short-range" EV owner needed the L2, I'd give it to them. A Tesla can make do whereas they probably needed the juice.

A Tesla at 15% charge needs the juice as much as the other guy and the other guy will not know the Tesla's state of charge or the Tesla's owner schedule. Whichever way you look at it, it is incredibly arrogant and selfish behaviour.
Given this is at a workplace, it would be better for the other EV owner to contact the Tesla owner, to ask when the cable can be switched.

 

[Magomboman]

Does this happen only in CA or west cost cities because I never experienced this in Virginia and being from NY my temperament isnt so nonchalant.

 

[ElectricTundra]

OP, did you have anything in your window with how to contact you if someone else needed to borrow it?

Do you always move your car as soon as charging is complete? Do all others? Or are there frequently cars parked in the EV spots and plugged in but have finished charging?

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

I have a customer here in VA who posts the rules and charging is done via Security and a Text message system. They had to double the amount of chargers on site to balance things out and clam things down. Everyone posted there cell numbers in the cars. it was part of the tread linked above.

I bought some stuff from Evannex and they sent me a charging placard to post on my rearview mirror. the one side basically says "hey I need to charge don't unplug my car in red. the other side says "This is an opportunity charge take the cord if you need to charge in green"
I like it and will use it. here is a link to the placard.

Charging Hang Tag / Courtesy Notice Bundle

 

[jaguar36]

Not condoning what this person did, but have a little understanding. Most other EVs flash an indicator light to show that they are charging. Tesla does not. Owners of other EVs think your car is finished charging and are likely cursing you for leaving your car plugged in and taking up a spot when you are not charging.

The op arrived at work and 45 mins later was unplugged. It should have been obvious to the other driver that he wasn't finished charging.

Based on the other thread it does sound like it was someone who thought their car was more entitled to charge than you. Is it a free charger?

 

[bob_p]

As more people get EVs - it's unreasonable to expect everyone will follow any type of etiquette or understand how the charging works on other vehicles. If their car has a status light while charging and your car doesn't, it's not unreasonable for the other driver to assume your car is done charging. And, unfortunately, many drivers will stay connected long after their cars have finished charging.

Tesla should do two things to address this:

• If not continuously, at least periodically (once a minute?) flash a charging status on the port. Though since the charging status lights don't take much power, there could also be a setting to allow drivers to keep the charging status light on whenever the car is charging.
• Provide locking J1772 adapters, rather than relying on 3rd parties, with uncertified adapters, for this solution. Or, Tesla should have a program to certify 3rd party adapters - and then include those in their online store.

We should expect this situation to get worse as more manufacturers begin selling EVs...