From Watts Up With That?

Essay by Eric Worrall

h/t observa; “Everyone should have one”

‘Everyone should have one’: This hack could save arguments at the charger

Story by Zane Dobie

Arguments about overstaying at an EV charger could soon be over with this Tesla owner’s invention.

Waiting to use an electric car charger when another vehicle occupying it has long finished topping up is a major bugbear for many owners – which is why Tesla has come up with a solution to fix it.

That fix, it seems, is as simple as a photo of a laminated piece of paper with an “estimated charging completion time” and the owner’s contact number on it. Who knew it was that easy?

Sharing a picture on the Tesla La Kopi Singapore Facebook group after discovering the sign at a public charger, a user wrote, “This is such a great idea! Hang a note on your car to inform anyone when you expect to be done with charging. Bravo to you!”.

The idea gained a lot of support in the comments section.

“Everyone should have one,” said one user.

“The car dealer should include this during car delivery,” said another.

…

Can you be fined for overstaying on an EV charger?

Over the past year, some charger suppliers have begun charging an ‘idle fee’ based on how long your car is left plugged in when it’s fully charged. 

Telsa charges $0.50 per minute that you leave your car plugged in beyond your set charging parameters. This fee increases to $1 per minute when all other chargers are occupied.

…Read more:

 https://www.msn.com/en-au/technology/general/everyone-should-have-one-this-hack-could-save-arguments-at-the-charger/ar-AA1yg4qP

I don’t know what to say to this. Putting a sign up doesn’t help you get your vehicle charged any faster.

Perhaps the problem they are trying to solve is preventing charger rage vandalism. Having a contact person to shout abuse at might reduce the risk of someone kicking dents into your expensive EV.