Electric Car Etiquette: Try Being Considerate of Other People
The popularity of electric vehicles (EVs), and their increased development by automotive manufacturers, is quickly changing the social dynamics of the road. With new types of cars being made that depend on different needs than traditional cars, everyone on the road will have to watch their behavior and learn to accommodate.
Unfortunately, the majority of drivers have not yet taken notice of this shift, despite the problems this is causing EV drivers around the country.
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The Importance of EV Charging Stations
Electric fueling stations differ from traditional gasoline fueling stations. While it may take 5 minutes at most to fill up your basic mainline sedan at the local BP, electric charging takes up to a couple hours. So, it’s made sense to combine electric charging stations with parking spots rather than a “fill-up” method. These are popping up in shopping mall, restaurant, and grocery store lots around the country.
So, what happens if you’re a gasoline-driven car who sees an empty EV charging spot? Or a hybrid-driver who doesn’t exactly need to charge up yet? If you’re like one of the many drivers faced with these same scenarios, you probably parked in that empty spot.
Too bad for the EV driver behind you who desperately needed that charging station to avoid running out of juice.
In other words, parking in a charging spot without intending to utilize it is quickly becoming the equivalent of parking in a “handicapped” spot because of its convenient placement.
Electric Car Etiquette: Taking a Stand
EV drivers are understandably worried about getting stranded somewhere with no access to re-charge their car. But, so many old-fashioned drivers on the road just aren’t taking notice of the plight of the EV. Thus, green-friendly drivers are taking a stand in the best way they know how: by adding new words to their vocabulary.
You may find the following terms being used nowadays:
- ICE’d: When a traditional gasoline car (internal combustion engine) is parked in an EV charging station spot, blocking much-needed access.
- Musked: When a Tesla Model S, despite only needing to charge every 250 miles, feels entitled to park in a charging spot but not plug in. The term is fondly named after Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla Motors Inc.
As Tesla drivers are quickly becoming known as the hipster, self-entitled “MAC owners” of the road, tension is rising between them and other EV owners, such as Volt drivers.
To alleviate this, news sources have compiled various lists of public EV charging etiquette points, such as this one from Gas2:
- All fully electric cars should have preference at the charger over plug-in hybrid cars.This is an easy one because a hybrid car can always fall back on its gasoline engine.
- Non plug-in electric cars do not belong in the EV charging spot. Again an easy one; if you’re not plugging in, don’t park there!
- EVs should be parked in the EV spot while charging. Similar to #2: if you don’t need to be plugged in, don’t park there!
- When your EV is done charging, move out of the spot. You wouldn’t leave your car in front of a fuel pump after you have filled up while you go shopping. Same here; once you’re fully charged, pull your car into a normal parking space.
- Be mindful of indicator lights before you unplug someone’s EV. EVs have indicator lights that show how full the battery is. So before you unplug someone’s car so you can plug in your own, make sure their EV is fully charged. Just be nice.
- Safety first. Don’t leave cords around for people to trip over.
If all drivers familiarize themselves with these simple electric car etiquette guidelines, we can start developing friendlier relationships with our eco-friendly neighbors.
One fact is certain, though: In the meantime, be prepared for an all-out turf war between those zealous EV and hybrid drivers.
Source: Gas2.org
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