Charging Etiquette - WWYD

[SonicBlue]

Supposedly we want more folks to drive EVs. We promote them for a multitude of reasons.

But if someone chooses to go EV with a Bolt? Around here they draw more ire than a Cummins 3500.

The BMW driver could be a snob.
But I'm not sure the Mach-E driver is immune to a bit of the same?

Who said anything about wanting more people to drive EVs? And who said anything about wanting those EVs to charge at 25kW?

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[AhardFSU]

Not much you can do OP, but I would have said something to the BMW driver. Preferably, you would have gone to the empty 150kw station to avoid the line. Or as a 2nd option, use your NACS adapter at the nearby Tesla supercharger, pay less and maybe not have to deal with a line.

 

[nvabill]

Just wanted to get some thoughts on how you all would handle this charging situation on Christmas Eve........

Was down to 10% battery after driving all day so went to my normal 350kW charger nearby with 4 stations. All were in use and I was then #1 waiting but soon after three more were waiting. A spot opened up and before I could get in #4 waiter in line took it (Of course it was a BMW). I got out and said there were multiple cars waiting but she disagreed. In the spirit of Christmas I said fine. A little bit later two more spots opened up I got one. So while charging there were four more cars were waiting now. So I checked on progress of all the stations.

One was being used by a Chevy Bolt that had been charging for a hour and was still only at 50%. Saw the charge rate 20kW! Told him about a station just down the road that has 8 150kW stations that are never full......he did not move.

There was a Porsche at 90% but driver was not around. He did come about 10mins later after grocery shopping left.

The aforementioned BMW was now at 90% so I said something again that people were waiting and it would be polite to let someone go. She wanted to charge to 100% and would leave then.

So by the time I charged from 10 to 80% and left all the other cars were still at the station!

My thoughts:
1. Use a charge that closely aligns with your charge capability - I was the only one charging above a 100kW rate everyone else was below for the eight different cars charging and was surprised one was a Kia
2. Charge to 80% if people are waiting
3. Take note at busy chargers who is in front of you
4. Precondition if you can to take full charge capability (It's cold in the DC area right now)
5. Be nice!

Would you have done anything differently?

*Edit - Not trying to be hard on the OP, just know it's a difficult situation the way these things are put in parking lots.*
Please tell me more about this so called line, if there was one and you were number one how could someone in number four position beat you to a charger? I mean while driving ice and fueling at a Sam's Club you line up for a row of pumps not all of the pumps there. Seems to me this would be the way for the EV chargers in a parking lot.

 

[nvabill]

So… again, this “line.” I’d like to hear more about that. Oftentimes in shopping center parking lots, which is where EA chargers frequently are, the “line” consists of EVs parking in nearby spots because that’s the only place to wait if there is holiday congestion. It might not have been clear that there was a cue.

Same here, how do you form a line in a crowded holiday shopping center?
*Edit - Not trying to be hard on the OP, just know it's a difficult situation the way these things are put in parking lots.*

 

[AhardFSU]

I swear that there must be a Bolt Nomad Lifestyle which has replaced the camper for some people.

From what I’ve seen, most of the Bolt and Niro drivers that hog chargers are ride share drivers. I’ve started to put the blame on Lfty and Uber for offering those cars to the drivers.

For me, one of the upsides of using the Tesla superchargers is that I never see those Bolts and Niros at the SCs. Those rideshare drivers don’t want to spend $200 for an adapter so they stick to the CCS stations.

 

[SWO]

Confusion likely explains it. Especially in the chaos of a holiday parking lot. And I really don’t think DCFC should be expected to be such a communal process to go around and knock on windows to form a cue or keep track of all the EVs in random parking spaces.

I’m gonna cut the lady who “cut” some grace. Our real ire should be directed at the Bolt. Anytime you need to charge at a crowded station, there always seems to be at least one of those little shitboxes hogging a charger. Ironically, the driver is usually sitting in the car. For hours. Perhaps sleeping. Is there so little in your life that you can just sit in a parked car for hours? Perhaps even living there based on the amount of crap that has accumulated inside. I swear that there must be a Bolt Nomad Lifestyle which has replaced the camper for some people.

I always joke with the wife that every time you see a Bolt charging, the driver has either a book or a pillow.

 

[Phil-Springs]

Confusion likely explains it. Especially in the chaos of a holiday parking lot. And I really don’t think DCFC should be expected to be such a communal process to go around and knock on windows to form a cue or keep track of all the EVs in random parking spaces.

I’m gonna cut the lady who “cut” some grace. Our real ire should be directed at the Bolt. Anytime you need to charge at a crowded station, there always seems to be at least one of those little shitboxes hogging a charger. Ironically, the driver is usually sitting in the car. For hours. Perhaps sleeping. Is there so little in your life that you can just sit in a parked car for hours? Perhaps even living there based on the amount of crap that has accumulated inside. I swear that there must be a Bolt Nomad Lifestyle which has replaced the camper for some people.

We form informal lines at the super market self check out all the time.
Blaming someone for using a car (poorly designed as it is) as designed seems misplaced. I suspect the OP does bear some blame here as this is all new and having a thick skin is warranted for now

 

[Mr. B]

Yep.. that sucks, and I had a similar experience, but, what I did was save some money and purchased an A2Z NACS to CCS Adapter. I got tired of waiting on Ford and their delays, besides I was going to purchase a 2nd adapter anyway. Having the adapter opened up more doors and places for me to charge on my journeys, and I haven't had to put up with the BS since then. I recommend everyone that has a MACH-E to get a decent NACS to CCS adapter to their affordability (or save to buy), so, that they are not pinned down to just going to Non-Tesla Charging Stations.

 

[Sinclair63]

I agree with your premise of folks being fair and waiting in line, letting the first person waiting, take the next available charging station. The problem isn't the car they may drive, it's the lack of common courtesy with a minor percentage of our society. Without getting on my soapbox and irritating they keyboard warriors, these people won't change, and won't follow norms in society. The charging system should allow for a simple queue system that allows a user to reserve the next available position as long as they are on location and ready. If you reserve a spot and don't take it within a minimal amount of time, it goes to the next customer. If there are multiple drivers waiting in the queue, the system should either remind the user about the slow charge rate past 80%. Or turn off charging and allow the next vehicle in line use the charging system.

 

[933233311602]

Would you have done anything differently?

I may have asked the BMW how much longer they expected to be because I only had 10% charge left and needed to get home. When they said they were waiting until 100% I would have told a quick share-your-pain story about how frustrating it can be when you need 100% to get to where you're you're going and how charging over 80% takes as much time as getting from 0 to 80. If the nearby 150KW chargers were cheaper per minute, I would have suggested them as an alternative to staying at the 350 kW chargers since the BMW was going to need to spend the same amount of time at either to charge to 100% anyway. I'd then wish them a good trip because they obviously had hundreds of miles still left to travel and need 100% to get there.

Essentially: assume the BMW is just a noob and educate them while treating them like a veteran EV owner. They may even open up and ask more questions.

I may have talked to the other drivers waiting in line behind me and told them about the nearby 150kW chargers. I'd tell them that I only had 10% left but that I only needed to charge to X% and expected it would take me Y minutes. With only 10% battery remaining myself, I would have stayed waiting and not risked the trip to the 150kW chargers.

 

[kltye]

Essentially: assume the BMW is just a noob and educate them while treating them like a veteran EV owner. They may even open up and ask more questions.

Being a noob isn't an excuse for cutting in line, especially once pointed out by other people. Charging to 100% is just icing on the cake.

Although, maybe the person is a noob on how to participate as a member of society

 

[Bkinyoun57]

Chivalry....and manners are dead

 

[david_quick]

This will be controversial. The charging companies know when peak usage times are and holiday travel occurs. They can just stop all chargers at 80%. ( I think EA does this) and charge parking fees something like $30 a minute.

They could also do something app wise where when you arrive you join a queue. When it’s your turn it tells you which charger to go to and won’t turn on for anyone else. Mercedes does some like this at their branded charging stations. You can even reserve a spot route.

 

[933233311602]

This will be controversial. The charging companies know when peak usage times are and holiday travel occurs. They can just stop all chargers at 80%.

Agreed: extremely controversial. If it's cold winter storm snowy conditions and I **need** more than 80% charge to reach my destination, this "stop all chargers at 80%" policy would literally threaten my safety.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I would have moved on as soon as I realized there was a line. In my ~30-40k miles of road tripping, I have only run into lines a few times and only once did I "need" the charger with the line.

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