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

[marcopolomt]

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.

And you did completely the right thing. Can you imagine the chaos we are going to face in the next few years if people just abandon their cars at a rapid without a care in the world and disappear for an hour? Even charging much beyond 80% is a daft idea. It might be sort of tolerable between relatively civilized human beings but think of the average person and then remember half of all people are less intelligent than that!. Etiquette is the difference between a civilized society and barbarism. Charging firms really need to start ramping up overstay charges, It's the only way to tackle this.

 

[Coulomb]

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

Ok, but when the charge is finished, the "charger" end should unlock, assuming it's a non-tethered AC "charger". So then you'd be unplugging their cable, not touching their vehicle. I think that's fair enough. The cable still can't be stolen as it's still attached to the car. Of course, you have to be lucky to be able to park next to the formerly charging car and have your cable reach.

Generally (at least in Australia), you can't stop the charge unless you're the owner until it finishes on its own, either by reaching full, or a selected stopping SOC, or when reaching the end of a timed period.

Another reason to prefer non-tethered AC "chargers".

 

[C6MFC]

So yet another angle. "Technically" have you not entered into a contract with the power supplier who own the charger to supply electricity until you or they terminate that agreement and until you unplug then nobody else should touch anything hence the suppliers right to charge any over stay fees as you are still in the power purchase contract until you (the initiator of the contract) disconnects.

 

[Delboy102000]

So yet another angle. "Technically" have you not entered into a contract with the power supplier who own the charger to supply electricity until you or they terminate that agreement and until you unplug then nobody else should touch anything hence the suppliers right to charge any over stay fees as you are still in the power purchase contract until you (the initiator of the contract) disconnects.

That was basically my point which you put much better than I did. I agree 100%

 

[m4rmite]

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?

If i caused any damage then i would wait until the owner came back, or leave contact details.

Why wouldn't i?

 

[Mind the GAP]

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

Yes and no. I returned to my car and someone had unplugged the CCS connector. On challenging the person he said the charger had finished. Checking my vehicle it reported 95% which is as much as it can do on a rapid charger. It seems that once the vehicle is charged it unlocks the CCS.

To answer the poll. I’m happy for someone to unplug my car when charger is finished. And I would risk unplugging someone elses if fully charged. Only fair in my book. However I wouldn’t touch the charger flap, some cars have little electric motors to open and close these so wouldn’t want to break that. Assume other People wont close the flap, and remember to check it is closed. (Yes I have driven off with it open ).

 

[Mind the GAP]

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

ignore my vote

CCS do get unlocked. Type 2 stays locked after reaching 100%.

 

[Mind the GAP]

Yes and no. I returned to my car and someone had unplugged the CCS connector. On challenging the person he said the charger had finished. Checking my vehicle it reported 95% which is as much as it can do on a rapid charger. It seems that once the vehicle is charged it unlocks the CCS.

To answer the poll. I’m happy for someone to unplug my car when charger is finished. And I would risk unplugging someone elses if fully charged. Only fair in my book. However I wouldn’t touch the charger flap, some cars have little electric motors to open and close these so wouldn’t want to break that. Assume other People wont close the flap, and remember to check it is closed. (Yes I have driven off with it open ).

Should also add that the MG5 charging on a type 2 does stay locked once it reaches 100%.

 

[Bluejeros]

Hi all,
Charging our EV's is a must however someone overstaying their welcome and 'hogging' a charger is not acceptable.
Should we not develop a code of practice where we indicate to someone when we will be back? We could perhaps use the Parking Disk as is used in Germany. this indicates your arrival time and how long you intend to stay for. This could avoid potential damage if someone tries to remove your plug. Just a thought!

 

[mj224]

After all, it is down to good manners and etiquette. Hopefully most EV drivers/owners are aware of other drivers needs....

 

[C6MFC]

Good idea but the offenders are making a considered decision not a mistake. I suspect that many of those who deliberately overstay will not care about etiquette/code of practise etc anyway and continue to behave as they do now. Punitive overstay measures are needed by all Charger service providers or how about the charger locks you to the charger until you call to get a release and pay your hefty fine after your overstay.

Many at park and rides for example are using it as a parking place (chargers are usually close to the buses) and in some other parking areas there is no charge for parking in a charging place, so they park there plugging their hybrid in which will be charged up in no time. They stay there all-day after getting a very short battery top up. I have also seen this at other places of work (where I have gone for meetings) where they arrive plug in and then stay plugged in all day hogging the charger (many are hybrid by the way).

I had to get reception in one case to chase the owners so I could get a charge for my MG5 to get home. They see it as their charger/parking space while they are at work and were not happy that I had asked for them to be moved. Reception said they are supposed to book slots for charge but rarely then move them after the slot ends or they book multiple slots for the whole day which the workplace fails to police (the car owners are often the mangers who should police these policies) The site I visited there was a vacant charger right by the front door, but I was told that its reserved for the site manager only who wasn't on site! but may or may not come in today.

 

[C6MFC]

Good idea but the offenders are making a considered decision not a mistake. I suspect that many of those who deliberately overstay will not care about etiquette/code of practise etc anyway and continue to behave as they do now. Punitive overstay measures are needed by all Charger service providers or how about the charger locks you to the charger until you call to get a release and pay your hefty fine after your overstay.

Many at park and rides for example are using it as a parking place (chargers are usually close to the buses) and in some other parking areas there is no charge for parking in a charging place, so they park there plugging their hybrid in which will be charged up in no time. They stay there all-day after getting a very short battery top up. I have also seen this at other places of work (where I have gone for meetings) where they arrive plug in and then stay plugged in all day hogging the charger (many are hybrid by the way).

I had to get reception in one case to chase the owners so I could get a charge for my MG5 to get home. They see it as their charger/parking space while they are at work and were not happy that I had asked for them to be moved. Reception said they are supposed to book slots for charge but rarely then move them after the slot ends or they book multiple slots for the whole day which the workplace fails to police (the car owners are often the mangers who should police these policies) The site I visited there was a vacant charger right by the front door, but I was told that its reserved for the site manager only who wasn't on site! but may or may not come in today.

 

[Delboy102000]

The charger surely tells the whole story.
If it shows 30% and 15 minutes connected time, nobody has any cause except to wait their turn, even if the driver is in the coffee shop.

If however it shows 98% charged and two hours time, then that person is making unfair time demands and deserves to be castigated. However if like the other night I needed 98% to get home which I reached in just over 40 minutes of charge time, I would not have wished to be kicked off early and not made it home just to get someone on early. It requires common sense thinking, that’s all.

 

[Kithmo]

To me the only time it would be acceptable for someone to unplug my car is if I had been unavoidably delayed and the charge had stopped and the plug was unlocked.
I would never leave my car on a rapid for more than the time I needed to get to 80% or thereabouts unattended anyway, so I would expect my car to be still plugged in when I returned and if its a quick top up that would take less than 20 minutes, I would stay with the car.
I would also never unplug anyone else's car for fear of reprisal and/or damaging their car, even if they are fully charged.
Sometimes you just have to accept that there are dicks in this world and move on.
Whatever etiquette you apply, there are always those who won't.
I think as more chargers appear and bigger batteries become more the norm, this problem will fade away.

 

[JodyS21]

It's a very interesting topic this.

Here's a thought:
Rapid chargers at a long stay (all day+) parking destination.
E.g. Train station, park & ride.
Should someone need a charge who is going to be away from their car for quite a while/cannot return in 60mins etc, what should they do?
They'd either need to plug in when they get back to their car and have to wait around for however long, or more ideally they would want to plug in when they got there.
The solution seems to me to be, multiple parking spaces per charger, once their car has finished charging, it can be unplugged and used by another car in an adjacent space.

 

[John G]

Over the past 100 year of combustion engines and the last 50 years of self service petrol stations, society managed to keep things together by sharing an unspoken ettiquette to keep things moving. During the next few years as more new EV drivers join in they will not yet be up to speed with some of our ways. I've only been driving an EV for 18 months but I am already seeing the difference between us oldies and the newcomers who quite frankly have little interest in what is making the car go co - just it it should be really. But somehow they will need to be inducted in how to make the most of their new way of life and how best to fit in. It would help if the dealerships were a bit more interested, but in the meantime I just shrug and offer what help I can.

 

[Kithmo]

It's a very interesting topic this.

Here's a thought:
Rapid chargers at a long stay (all day+) parking destination.
E.g. Train station, park & ride.
Should someone need a charge who is going to be away from their car for quite a while/cannot return in 60mins etc, what should they do?
They'd either need to plug in when they get back to their car and have to wait around for however long, or more ideally they would want to plug in when they got there.
The solution seems to me to be, multiple parking spaces per charger, once their car has finished charging, it can be unplugged and used by another car in an adjacent space.

If they don't have the time to wait and charge before they go, they should charge when they come back, not hog the charger all day.

 

[JodyS21]

If they don't have the time to wait and charge before they go, they should charge when they come back, not hog the charger all day.

Yes that's why I think in those type of circumstances there should be a notice or something that says, you may unplug a car that has finished charging and use it.

As I've said I very very rarely use public chargers.
But I think now, if I were to ever goto a shopping centre or something and needed say 1/2hour charge, but intended on being there for say 2hours. If it's a lot of hassle/distance to come back to the car just to unplug it after 1/2hour and only IF there was another available adjacent allocated charging space, I think I'd feel ok just leaving a note on my car saying "please feel free to unplug after xx:xx time". Highly unlikely I'd ever be in this situation of course, but I'd be perfectly happy if other owners did similar.

The charger companies need to get thinking about this topic we are discussing, and implement some simple solutions - be it by pricing or by notices/saying on screen what to do etc.

 

[C6MFC]

It's a very interesting topic this.

Here's a thought:
Rapid chargers at a long stay (all day+) parking destination.
E.g. Train station, park & ride.
Should someone need a charge who is going to be away from their car for quite a while/cannot return in 60mins etc, what should they do?
They'd either need to plug in when they get back to their car and have to wait around for however long, or more ideally they would want to plug in when they got there.
The solution seems to me to be, multiple parking spaces per charger, once their car has finished charging, it can be unplugged and used by another car in an adjacent sp

Over the past 100 year of combustion engines and the last 50 years of self service petrol stations, society managed to keep things together by sharing an unspoken etiquette to keep things moving. During the next few years as more new EV drivers join in they will not yet be up to speed with some of our ways. I've only been driving an EV for 18 months but I am already seeing the difference between us oldies and the newcomers who quite frankly have little interest in what is making the car go co - just it it should be really. But somehow they will need to be inducted in how to make the most of their new way of life and how best to fit in. It would help if the dealerships were a bit more interested, but in the meantime I just shrug and offer what help I can.

John don't understand the 50 years of self-service filling station point? When did anyone fill up an ICE car and then leave the car parked at the pump? which is what EV drivers are doing too often. I was at an Esso service station the other day and a Mitsubishi outlander PHEV parked up in the adjacent charging slot to me, went in to shop bought his family picnic which they eat over half hour then drove off. It saved him walking 10m from other available parking but prevented anyone who needed a charge using the charger. Your point re younger (newer) EV drivers is well made but it is a reflection of society in general not just EV drivers I'm afraid.

 

[rbpasapera]

FYI

My ZS EV unlocks the charge port by pressing the door button, even though you don't have the smartkey with you, so anyone could unplug the car if it had finished charging.

Edit: on AC charging.