• We are having a problem with new Hotmail members being unable to receive activation emails. Please avoid using a Hotmail email address. Thanks.

Charging etiquette- someone unplugged me!

EFB

Novice Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2022
Messages
8
Reaction score
2
Points
1
Location
Fife
Driving
MG ZS EV
Charging etiquette-someone unplugged me!
Hi, just wondering what you folks think of this scenario. I plugged into the fast charger in Tesco. When I returned to the car I had been unplugged by another MG driver. Their car was now being charged. My app showed I was no longer charging. It appears I had stopped charging at 80%. I didn’t realise my charger lock would release when I reached 80%, allowing someone to unplug me. Any thoughts on any of this?
 
Charging etiquette-someone unplugged me!
Hi, just wondering what you folks think of this scenario. I plugged into the fast charger in Tesco. When I returned to the car I had been unplugged by another MG driver. Their car was now being charged. My app showed I was no longer charging. It appears I had stopped charging at 80%. I didn’t realise my charger lock would release when I reached 80%, allowing someone to unplug me. Any thoughts on any of this?
Lets clarify. It it was a rapid (22KW+ or any CCS) IMO its fair, this is unless there charging from 80%-100%. No point in charging over 80% at a rapid for time reasons, not to mention the detrimental effect on the battery's. As long as no damage is done to your car, no problem IMO.


If its a 7KW (Fast) , you shouldn't be unplugged.
 
Last edited:
Lets clarify. It it was a rapid (22KW+ or any CCS) IMO its perfectly fair, this is unless there charging from 80%-100%. No point in charging over 80% at a rapid for time reasons, not to mention the detrimental effect on the battery's. As long as no damage is done to your car, no problem IMO.

You don't get to decide how much charge other drivers need. No those mental rules EV old timers created for themselves can go away. Do not touch other people cars!

As for your question OP only scenario in which I would see this as acceptable is if your car was no longer charging. If someone stopped your charge this is very crappie behaviour in my opinion.

People in EV communities for some reason created themselves crazy honour system they try to hold others accountable to
 
Charging etiquette-someone unplugged me!
Hi, just wondering what you folks think of this scenario. I plugged into the fast charger in Tesco. When I returned to the car I had been unplugged by another MG driver. Their car was now being charged. My app showed I was no longer charging. It appears I had stopped charging at 80%. I didn’t realise my charger lock would release when I reached 80%, allowing someone to unplug me. Any thoughts on any of this?
Is your car set to only charge to 80%?
Did you confirm the charge or was it a rapid charger?
 
There is some information missing here what speed charger was it as if it was a 7kw would not be your own cable?
 
No those mental rules EV old timers created for themselves can go away. Do not touch other people cars!
There not touching the other peoples car are they though - There touching a public charger, that OP could be in tesco for another hour occupying while there having to wait to get some charge to continue there trip.

I know many rapids will completely stop charging at 80% to try and stop this issue -which is likely what occurred here - a rule created not by the people, but the chargers themselves - because its sensible.. for now.
People in EV communities for some reason created themselves crazy honour system they try to hold others accountable to

The reason is quite simple really. Unless you own a tesla, there is a very small amount of rapid chargers for an ever increasing amount of EV owners. Rapids are needed 24/7 - weather its in a tesco, or a proper EV charging station. You never know what issue might have occurred that means someone has to make an unexpected stop at a rapid, sudden hospital visits for instance. Point is, if you are done with the rapid for the journey that you need to make, you really should vacate the space - Until they become widespread enough that it is not an issue.

You don't get to decide how much charge other drivers need.

To continue on this part - After 80%, charge rate on rapids plumet. making matters worse, rapid charging shows up the internal residence differences of the different cells, so rapid charging to 100% can throw the pack on a wobbly - this is why some cars point blank refuse to charge to 100%


In short, I wish I could agree with you, and hopefully I soon can - You should not unplug someone else's car, and i frankly don't like the thought of the car throwing a fit because its been unplugged while locked.. But for now, with the extremely limited amount of rapids, i can tolerate it if the car has got to or exceeded 80%, or stopped charging - Judging by the charging connector being unlocked, i'm guessing the latter happened in OPs case.
 
Lets clarify. It it was a rapid (22KW+ or any CCS) IMO its perfectly fair, this is unless there charging from 80%-100%. No point in charging over 80% at a rapid for time reasons, not to mention the detrimental effect on the battery's. As long as no damage is done to your car, no problem IMO.


If its a 7KW (Fast) , you shouldn't be unplugged.
Hi, it was the fast charger - premium charge!
 
See THIS is the very reason why I really try avoiding using public charging points if at all possible and especially at the weekend !.
You are just asking for grief IMO.
People making the call on who should and should not be charging and in what pecking order.
Throw in the odd PHEV owner who pull's in but does not even plug in their car, who has likely just filled up his fossil tank while at Tesco's as well.
So, it is always likely going to be confrontational and kick off !.
I tend to find that there only two types of EV drivers, the one's that cares and the one's that don't !.
If you get owner one, they will be friendly and go out of they way to help in anyway they can.
Look out if you come across owner two though.
Totally self centred and selfish, parks in the bay without even plugging in sometimes, because he / she has purchased a part or full EV and therefore as such, entitles them to use the space ( close to the shop ) marked in green or with an EV logo printed on the floor !.
Nope - Not buying into that bun fight sorry.
 
I've experienced it the other way around. I was charging on a free charger. When coming back from shopping another EV was parked nearby with open charging cover. Inviting me to plug it and start charging for the owner. I was happy to comply and hope they didn't mind 😉
A welcome change, but unfortunately and sadly rare !.
Falls into the owner 1 category (y).
 
I've experienced it the other way around. I was charging on a free charger. When coming back from shopping another EV was parked nearby with open charging cover. Inviting me to plug it and start charging for the owner. I was happy to comply and hope they didn't mind 😉
Wouldn't that use your cable though I don't think I have seen free charger with a cable. Good if there was one this is exactly the reasonable behaviour
 
… my car was locked, I thought that locked the charger in place too. Am I wrong?

yes, ccs. I wouldn’t touch anyone else’s car.
I've unplugged somebody before.

But only if the charging has clearly stopped.

I could be reading into the 'touching other people's cars' bit, but I don't have an issue with someone unplugging me in that situation. A car is a physical object, we might need to relax a little on that front 😄
 
Do not touch other people cars!
This a someone's car not their wife.

Whilst I'd never unplug anyone that was actively charging, there are people that abandon their cars and fail to return even once fully charged and I'd happily unplug a car that wasn't charging. In the early adopters videos this was positively encouraged.
 
Thanks. Unfortunately we haven’t had our charger installed yet. Delays with Scottish Government funding! I personally would never touch someone else’s car. I also didn’t realise the charger could be removed when the car was locked- every day’s a school day!
I just wondered if this was an accepted behaviour.
Thanks for responses folks. Glad I’m not the only one who finds it rude and unacceptable.😊
 
Support us by becoming a Premium Member

Latest MG EVs video

New EVs from MG: MG S9 & MG9 plus hot topics from the forums
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom