Charging etiquette- someone unplugged me!

[MoDolph]

If ever I'm plugged in but not charging it's likely because something has come up and I couldn't make it back in time for the end of the charge.

Your welcome to unplug me and make use of the charger. Just make sure to close my flap if its raining please.

Expecting people to just stand around waiting so they don't touch your precious car seems a little selfish.

 

[Cocijo]

Do Tesco have rapid chargers? I though they were all fast max 22kwhr.

 

[DB Go Rex]

Do Tesco have rapid chargers? I though they were all fast max 22kwhr.

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[Cocijo]

Thanks - I didn’t realise they had to 50KwHr chargers.

 

[JohnInFrance]

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?

Perfectly normal and acceptable.
If your car had stopped charging at 80% the charge point would be showing that it was no longer charging and whilst some do lock the cable at the CP end, some do not and it's absolutely normal for someone to unplug a car that is not charging to use the charge point. Your cable will remain locked in the charge port of your car until you unlock the vehicle, so it cannot be stolen. Don't see a problem here to be honest.

 

[JohnInFrance]

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 ?

This happens all the time at free chargers here and is totally normal.

 

[RobinH]

Charging etiquette works both ways. Once you are charged to 80% return to your car and move it out of the charging bay.

 

[Gadget Geek]

I think a simple solution is to put a note in your windscreen which says either you are happy for someone to unplug your cable when it's finished charging, or a clock similar to disabled badge, that says you will be back by a certain time to unplug it yourself. Easy enough to print out on your computer.

 

[djenson]

This seems to created quite the Yes it's fine vs No don't touch my car debate.

Quite interesting.

 

[Maciej]

From my experience yes it's fine is by people who switched years ago and are still in early adapter mentality while no it's not is by people who treat it like a car that happens to be electric rather than part of identity. I don't think of myself as ev drive I think of my self as driver who happens to drive ev. Huge difference.

To my other ev drovers aren't members of some club in in. They just happen to drive car with similar engine. We ain't mates. They are no different to me than 3l petrol drivers just other road users. I will not occupy charger when I don't have to but I will not free it earlier than I need to either.

I think I order for ev to be mainstream we need to stop the we are all part of same club mentality because life doesn't work like that

 

[hmadsen]

Charging etiquette works both ways. Once you are charged to 80% return to your car and move it out of the charging bay.

I agree, i once charged at a charger in Germany while doing some border shopping.

I knew i would need to travel longer than even 100% would get me, and the charger i was parked at had 2 CCS charging points.

I plugged it in and while i shopped, i charged the car. I was looking at the app, to see and i ended up charging to 92% when i got back to the car.

BUT...I was constantly checking to see if someone had started charging at the other half of the charger, and that was never occupied.

I was only 2 minutes walk away from the charger, and if someone had plugged into the other outlet i would immideately have gone and moved my car. This way i was getting the most charge possible, while the car was parked anyway, but i was not blocking the charger for someone that needed to charge either.

If the car has stopped the charge, and released the CCS connector from my car, i would not have any problems with anyone taking the plug out, as long as they would close my charging flap, i would be a bit embarrassed if i had held up a charger while not charging.

 

[TheHypnoToad]

If the car is charging, I thought the charging plug is locked into the car?

 

[Gadget Geek]

Can someone when they next go on a CCS charger, stop the charge and try taking the plug out without unlocking the car? I think everyone would be intersted in the result.

 

[Roldorf]

On CCS Chargers:- Once you stop the charge with your card or the app you can of course unplug the cable.
If you unlock the car even if you have stopped the charge but 'NOT' unplugged the cable then you can not put the car in 'drive mode' until the cable has been unplugged.

 

[John G]

I have been involved with a similar issue. An MG5 was on a rapid charger at 98% and the charge was getting slower and slower. I know the driver was aware because his son came out to check. There was a queue of 3 or 4 cars (I was first). The charger then stopped and stated it had completed the charge. We waited for a while then the number 2 driver took the cable out and gave it to me as I was parked in next bay.
I then went use the facilities and on my return the driver of the MG5 had stopped the charge and pulled out the cable before driving off.
My point us , if you are going over 80% STAY WITH THE CAR!

 

[Cocijo]

On all the contactless rapids that I’ve used, you have to tap your payment card a second time after charging to remove the cable.

 

[Maciej]

On all the contactless rapids that I’ve used, you have to tap your payment card a second time after charging to remove the cable.

Thar isn't my experience but I had to unlock a car to unplug even when I stopped a charge via the app as I was walking towards the car.

 

[EFB]

Thanks - I didn’t realise they had to 50KwHr chargers.

Hi, our Tesco store has 7, 22 and 50.

 

[Guru]

I think it's fair enough to unplug a car that isn't charging however if it's still charging then it's not up to you to decide how much charge that person 'needs'. I know a lot of people still regard 80% as being the upper limit on rapids however a lot of newer EV's can still take a decent charge well above that level. Indeed our mk1 ZS would still get a decent charge rate up into the 90's. We also had one stretch of a regular journey back to Norfolk where we had to get over 90% to be sure we could make it back in winter. I would have been very annoyed if someone had unplugged us just because we'd ticked over 80%!

 

[joycamp]

yeah you sound like that kind of person that would spend 40 minutes trying to get to 100% when other people needed a charge. I wouldn't unplug you but I would certainly empathise with anyone that did. Learn to share. And as far as 'don't touch my car' just lighten up.