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

[n0de]

Thanks for confirming that your car can unlock the charge port without the smartkey.

Edit: it's not just my car.

my car does nothing at all if you press the door button without the key, you could do it all day and it'll still do nothing.

 

[Coulomb]

my car does nothing at all if you press the door button without the key, you could do it all day and it'll still do nothing.

Perhaps we need to start talking firmware versions. Would this be an EVCC function?

 

[mj224]

...

If my car had finished charging, I can unlock the charge port and unplug the connector without the key.

Respectfully, if your car has the cable in the charge port, whether its charging or not, the port is already open...so don't understand fully that statement...??

 

[rbpasapera]

Respectfully, if your car has the cable in the charge port, whether its charging or not, the port is already open...so don't understand fully that statement...??

I said I can unlock the charge port by pressing the door button without the smartkey nearby, this means that my car releases the "mechanism" that locks the plug of the charger.

Edit: I didn't say I can open the charge port.

 

[n0de]

Perhaps we need to start talking firmware versions. Would this be an EVCC function?

unsure, but the door buttons are only there to unlock the car when the keys are close by - I'm thinking that you might be running a different version. I'd have thought this was the CP2 update (where the range is on the bottom left of the display) that controls this.

...or then again, it could be the BMS subsystem for this control. (I don't have an ODB2 reader to test unfortunately, just that i have the correct voltage when the car is at 100%...so it's the latest version)

 

[EVsince2016]

On a slow charger where a car is left parked - no, but on a rapid, I have many times. You should never leave a car on a rapid ideally except for a short period less than it takes to reach 80% its just wrong. Maybe OK if there's lots of rapids free but certainly not on a single rapid.

Yes each time I've had an angry EV driver but I just point at the no parking except whilst charging sign.

 

[WalkingBootWeather]

Robert thinks it is OK to unplug

 

[marcopolomt]

Robert thinks it is OK to unplug

Exactly, completely normal practice for long-standing EV owners. As said previously, etiquette needs enforcing by severe overstay charges. Nobody I know remains parked up at petrol stations when they finish filling up.

 

[Mind the GAP]

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.

Fast chargers (7kw) or even 3kw chargers should be installed at places like train stations. That way someone car stay on charge all day. However, most people who park and travel by train live fairly locally, so a charge on a rapid charger to get home won’t take too long.

Before the pandemic I noticed at the North Greenwich station car park the charging bays were often iced as the car park fills up.

I stayed in a hotel at Milton Keynes the other week. Lots of 7kw chargers. Sadly by the evening most were iced as parking becomes unavailable. Thankfully I took a spot and left my 5 on charge overnight. Went out early to move car in case someone wanted it while shopping or working. Unnecessary as it turns out as most bays were available by morning.

Maidstone has charge points at most town centre car parks. The traffic warden will book anyone who is not charging. Eliminates ice and makes for a fair system. It’s also free parking while plugged in and charging. More of this is needed.

 

[Guzzigeezer]

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!

You can't unplug my MG5 unless it's unlocked.

 

[AK OK]

Most public chargers I've used have dedicated bays, usually one reserved for taxis, often in corners of car parks.

So even if you are content to remove the plug from another vehicle, would the cable reach your vehicle anyway?

 

[EVsince2016]

T2 always locks on, Chademo only locks on whilst charging, not sure about CCS

 

[LDN21]

Technically you could be done for Criminal Damage. Especially if anything is damaged.
It is annoying and see it myself multiple times however sometimes if the charger not working properly on screen May be seen as complete but not working properly. I had it twice where someone has used the emergency button so stopped my charge. Once was so they could unplug there car and the other time so they could use the other rapid plug however mine was clearly charging.

 

[EVsince2016]

Technically you could be done for Criminal Damage. Especially if anything is damaged.
It is annoying and see it myself multiple times however sometimes if the charger not working properly on screen May be seen as complete but not working properly. I had it twice where someone has used the emergency button so stopped my charge. Once was so they could unplug there car and the other time so they could use the other rapid plug however mine was clearly charging.

I have only removed rapid chargers that say charge complete. Using the emergency stop to unplug is wrong, however, you shouldn't really leave a car on rapid very long anyway, certainly not up to 100%.

 

[LDN21]

I have only removed rapid chargers that say charge complete. Using the emergency stop to unplug is wrong, however, you shouldn't really leave a car on rapid very long anyway, certainly not up to 100%.

I never leave it that long, but one of the places I use to charge use to have very hard etiquette

 

[EVsince2016]

I never leave it that long, but one of the places I use to charge use to have very hard etiquette

Genie Point charge at £10 for overstay, Tesla do sometimes too. Shell fine you for an overstay on ANPR cameras

 

[LDN21]

Genie Point charge at £10 for overstay, Tesla do sometimes too. Shell fine you for an overstay on ANPR cameras

Unfortunately some of the main ones don’t. PodPoint (nothing) BPPulse after 90 minutes stay.
The one I use to use where I had problems was used mainly by Minicabs due to it being 24p/kWh (cheapest around) often they would wait for 100% and then would only let another minicab in even if arrived after.
I believe there needs to be more policing by companies who run them

 

[Kithmo]

Checked mine yesterday and it can't be unplugged even when fully charged. If I press the unlock button on the door, without the key, I hear the whirr that sounds like the plug unlocking but when I tried it, it was still locked in.

 

[TassiedEVil]

Is there/ why isn’t there a charging app- connected to the payment system - that alerts you when charging complete AND starts an ‘overstay’ payment if you haven’t unplugged? They can do the smartphone alert system with parking meters which I find very handy!!

 

[rbpasapera]

Checked mine yesterday and it can't be unplugged even when fully charged. If I press the unlock button on the door, without the key, I hear the whirr that sounds like the plug unlocking but when I tried it, it was still locked in.

In a few seconds after pressing the door button, mine will lock the plug again.

That sound you heard is the lock mechanism being released, IMO.