From the April 2023 issue of Car and Driver.
Our recent experiences at public chargers make us worry that the EV charging experience may soon degenerate into violence and chaos. Too many people try to use too few stations, a situation exacerbated by out-of-order plugs. Before people get disinvited from weddings or cut out of wills, let’s see if we can address some of your messiest behavior dilemmas.
Some basics: Always place the fork on the left side of the plate when eating lunch on the lid, and never park an internal combustion engine vehicle in an EV charging bay. Now on to the hard ones.
IS IT SO RUDE TO STAY IN FOR A 100 PERCENT LOW? I MEAN, I WAS THERE FIRST.
Oh dear It may feel incomplete to disconnect at 82 percent, but if someone is waiting, don’t get greedy and go for a full charge. This is rude, because on a DC charger, chances are the last 20 percent will take as much time as the previous 80 percent. Plus, charging to full accelerates long-term battery degradation, so it’s also rude to your car. This rule goes triple for Lucid drivers. Even at 80 percent, a Lucid has 300-plus miles of highway range, far more than most EVs.
I LIKE TO USE THE FASTEST CHARGER. IS IT WRONG?
If you drive a Mini Cooper SE that can accept a measly 50kW charge and is hooked to a 350kW charger when slower is available, you make the angels cry. It’s like taking both armrests when you’re sitting in the aisle in an airplane. You might feel more comfortable, but you’re taking space from the person who could really use it. While some new EVs can accept more than 200 kilowatts, most older models cannot. Know your limits.
MY TESLA CAN CHARGE ANYWHERE, SO I PLUG IN WHEREVER I SEE AN OPEN SPOT, EVEN IF IT’S NOT A TESLA STATION.
It’s not a question, but also, unless you’re desperate, please don’t do it. Someone is going to figure out how to rip that plug and launch it into low Earth orbit. Tesla offers an amazing and exclusive charging infrastructure that works, like, all the time! We can’t say the same for non-Tesla stations, so seeing Teslas at those stands in cases where their own network is available nearby can be frustrating. Think about the community.
DO I REALLY NEED TO SIGN UP TO PLUGSHARE OR OTHER REPORTING APPS?
Of course not. You also don’t have to help the elderly carry groceries, but it’s nice if you do. Not reporting working or damaged stations on apps like PlugShare can help other travelers avoid frustration. If everyone does this, it can also save you frustration. Crowdsourced information also helps stations organize repairs. Good car mom to all.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT SUCK FROM THIS. CAN I MOCK THEM?
Sure, but it’s mean. Once you get used to public charging, it’s easy to forget how frustrating and confusing stations can be. Some have a touch screen, and some have something that looks like a touch screen but requires pressing a button. Some take a swipe, and some seem to need a lunar alignment before accepting a credit card. If you see someone struggling, help them. You’re not going anywhere for a while anyway. Maybe rip this page out and give it to them.
