Poll: Is it ok to unplug another car that has finished charging so that you can charge yourself?

[JodyS21]

There's been some interesting thoughts regarding this recently.
So I've created this poll to see what everyone thinks.

Please select as many options as are relevant.

Enjoy & Discuss!

 

[rbpasapera]

I have done it twice, I unplugged a Kona and a Leaf, both vehicles had finished charging.

 

[Simondi]

No. I would be furious if someone touched or unplugged my car

 

[AussiePete]

Unplug someone’s car at your peril. Whilst it’s bad etiquette for someone to hog a charge point, tampering with another vehicle is borderline illegal and will cause some owners to become quite aggressive.

I’ve been in the receiving side when someone blamed me for unplugging their car when I didn’t. They were angry and abusive at the thought I had tampered with their car.

 

[m4rmite]

No. I would be furious if someone touched or unplugged my car

What would make you more furious?
a) Someone unplugging your car when it had reached 100%
b) Waiting 45 minutes for someone to return to their car after it had reached 100%

Not saying you've experienced either but just curious.

If mine had reached 100% and i had not returned to my car, if they had plugged in my rubber seal and closed the flap i would feel better than hogging a charger.

 

[C6MFC]

Can you unplug a MG5 if the doors are locked Thought the plug was locked in place?

 

[m4rmite]

Can you unplug a MG5 if the doors are locked Thought the plug was locked in place?

I'll try in the next 10 mins as its at 100% on the drive.

Can you unplug a ZS at 100% or does it have a lock also?

 

[m4rmite]

I'll try in the next 10 mins as its at 100% on the drive.

Can you unplug a ZS at 100% or does it have a lock also?

No you can't unplug a MG5 unless you unlock it.

ignore my vote

 

[Delboy102000]

My Zs remains locked on until it is unlocked by the remote or door button

 

[Wulnoth]

I unlocked a Mitsubishi Outlander on a Rapid charger that had finished charging.

The owner came back shortly afterward but I had no way of knowing how long he would be.

It was the only Rapid charger and I needed a charge, the other driver made no complaint and indeed he should not have, I was careful not to touch his car only handling the gun.

 

[Lovemyev]

Good practice would be to leave your contact number on a card in the window of the car.
Then you could ring the owner and ask if they could :-
Either return to the car and move it.
Mind you unplugging it, IF it has finished charging !.
To be honest, if the car has finished charging, I can not see the problem of unplugging the cable.
You may own the car, but remember you certainly don't own either the cable or the rapid charger.
If you object to somebody unplugging the cable, then ensure you return to your car and unplug it yourself in good time.

SIMPLE !.

 

[Wulnoth]

Well said Lovemyev.

 

[JodyS21]

No you can't unplug a MG5 unless you unlock it.

ignore my vote

I think the presumption is that it (should) works differently on a public/rapid charger.

 

[Delboy102000]

I think the presumption is that it (should) works differently on a public/rapid charger.

You also have to stop it on the charger as well. Don’t most require you to do this with a card or other method of making it stop because of payment. Morally it is Ok but legally it is wrong

 

[JodyS21]

You also have to stop it on the charger as well. Don’t most require you to do this with a card or other method of making it stop because of payment. Morally it is Ok but legally it is wrong

I've not done it myself, but I presume as the charger has finished charging the car it has "ended" the charge session already so nothing needs pressing/selecting.
Maybe some who has done it can comment?

 

[mj224]

Remains to be seen (anyone) if you can unplug a rapid charger when the car (ZS) 100% charged.

As said you can't on a fast charger (7kw) at home...

I would be unhappy if anyone tried to unplugged my car from a rapid or otherwise. But I would be around anyway, as I would have a journey to complete...

 

[Simondi]

What would make you more furious?
a) Someone unplugging your car when it had reached 100%
b) Waiting 45 minutes for someone to return to their car after it had reached 100%

Not saying you've experienced either but just curious.

If mine had reached 100% and i had not returned to my car, if they had plugged in my rubber seal and closed the flap i would feel better than hogging a charger.

I would not want anyone to touch my car if I'm being honest. I look after my vehicles and would be furious if someone took it upon themselves to mess around with my EV or any of my ICEs.
Have I had to wait around for a charger? Yes I have, sadly that's life.

Out of interest, and not for one minute suggesting you have, if you accidentally damaged or scratched someone else's car whilst unplugging it would you leave contact details and pay for repair or respray?

 

[ChrisT]

My wife and I have both unplugged cables from rapid chargers. The charging had stopped or had not been started properly. The physical act did not involve touching the car and the only physical contact was with the charging cable and handle on the connector. In both instances we explained what we had done to the car owners and offered the charger back to use. In one instance the owner did not know how to use the charger and had walked away thinking it was charging. In the other case the charging had finished.

Good ev etiquette is to expect an ev driver who needs to charge to remove a cable connector where it is not being used but to offer it back if required. To remove the connector the charging must have stopped or it would be locked.

Now that does not cover an individual who presses the big red stop button to remove the cable

Once there are plenty of chargers this won't be an issue but thats some way off.

Possibly as ev's spread into mass adoption the instances of charger rage may increase. With that in mind its not legal aspects of removing connectors that are a worry but possible violence and physical harm.

I remembered this morning that I have had this done to me also. At Seahouses a few years ago. A leaf had pulled into second charger space and unplugged our cable as we had finnished our session. Not a problem at all and he even closed the flap.

 

[rbpasapera]

I've not done it myself, but I presume as the charger has finished charging the car it has "ended" the charge session already so nothing needs pressing/selecting.
Maybe some who has done it can comment?

My ZS EV unlocks the rapid charger’s plug when it reaches 100%, also when you end the charge session using a RFID card.

I unplugged a Kona and a Leaf very carefully, both cars had finished charging and had the charge port unlocked.

Edit: I didn't meet the other owners because they never returned to their cars whilst I was charging, it was a quick top up.

 

[marcopolomt]

No. I would be furious if someone touched or unplugged my car

And this is why users should automatically be billed something like £1 per minute they overstay after a full charge. Tesla is the only firm that has got this right. Who on earth would leave their car at a resource so rare as a working EV charger? By all means, go grab some food or whatever, but don't block a charger when you are done charging.