Charging ettiquette - Unplugging another car

[tomdfw1]

You have stats for that claim?

Then in my opinion a wait is your only option, and I would suffer that wait if I had to. When the person returns I would politely ask them not to hog the charger in the future. I don't think touching someone else's property, or risking damaging it, is worth the cost. There are always other options.

I respect your decision to wait...possibly for days...but I would not. I would do what I feel is common sense and common courtesy, enable others to use the charger.

@tomdfw1 why not make it a poll to get a better aggregation?

Go vote here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/taycanporsche

46 votes in so far and its 70% say it is acceptable to do so.

Perhaps Detansinn and many other Porsche owners feel a little entitled? I don't. Common sense, respect for others and accountability should stand no matter what you drive or who you are. It is not rocket science to disconnect a charger and if you feel so concerned about someone touching your car, perhaps you can stay with it for the 30 minutes it is being charged and take accountability for your actions.

I used a metaphor I think applies: If you parked in someone's driveway or public spot after hours, it will be towed! Take accountability for your actions or reap the rewards!

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[tomdfw1]

Perhaps the best course of action is for the individual charging stations to expressly state what their position is on each charger.

I suspect most that charge idle fees will say it is not Ok to disconnect a car because the idle fees are typically 2-3x the charge fees and thusly making more money for vendor.

But the others that are free or hotels or others similar stations should state it is acceptable to disconnect fully charged cars...or cars after x time so it is documented what proper protocol is.

This would be a logical means to an end.

 

[mokre]

Perhaps the best course of action is for the individual charging stations to expressly state what their position is on each charger.

I suspect most that charge idle fees will say it is not Ok to disconnect a car because the idle fees are typically 2-3x the charge fees and thusly making more money for vendor.

But the others that are free or hotels or others similar stations should state it is acceptable to disconnect fully charged cars...or cars after x time so it is documented what proper protocol is.

This would be a logical means to an end.

I agree something needs to be done around common courtesy here... Its interesting to see I'm in the minority, at least in this one poll. One solution I would be ok with would be for the charging station to automatically stop charging and unlock itself from the car after a set period, that way you aren't risking damage to someone's car, and still have the ability to charge as you need it. Increasing idle fees to 10x the normal charging cost is another solution I'd support, though it ignores a bunch of possible scenarios (like family emergency or something,) it would at least deter the average person from overstaying.

 

[tomdfw1]

I agree something needs to be done around common courtesy here... Its interesting to see I'm in the minority, at least in this one poll. One solution I would be ok with would be for the charging station to automatically stop charging and unlock itself from the car after a set period, that way you aren't risking damage to someone's car, and still have the ability to charge as you need it. Increasing idle fees to 10x the normal charging cost is another solution I'd support, though it ignores a bunch of possible scenarios (like family emergency or something,) it would at least deter the average person from overstaying.

For Porsche cars at least...it is a physical lock Porsche applies to the charger that won't release until unlocked...so the station could not release it, even if it wanted. I would assume this applies to most other makes as well. All it could do is apply idle fees, which would be a deterrent, especially after being burned once or twice. But this wouldn't apply to "free" stations. In these locations, I would be wary to leave my car unattended for fear of someone in need sabotaging my car for being selfish and not releasing the charger when I was full.

 

[mokre]

For Porsche cars at least...it is a physical lock Porsche applies to the charger that won't release until unlocked...so the station could not release it, even if it wanted. I would assume this applies to most other makes as well. All it could do is apply idle fees. But this wouldn't apply to "free" stations. In these locations, I would be wary to leave my car unattended for fear of someone in need sabotaging my car for being selfish and not releasing the charger when I was full.

Yeah the station would need a hardware change to unlock itself (motorized tabs or something)- just one more thing to go wrong with already complicated stations. Free stalls could work this way too, if someone figures out the hardware.

Until then, there's not much we can do short of encouraging good behaviour. Sadly there are too many selfish people in the world for this to ever be successful.

What would really help stuff like this is it the government would actually mandate a standard plug, including charger based release mechanisms, and helped fund more of them so that waiting for chargers stops being an issue. They're moving so slowly on this though that California's 2035 ban on ICE car sales will only make this issue worse.

 

[B61]

For Porsche cars at least...it is a physical lock Porsche applies to the charger that won't release until unlocked...so the station could not release it, even if it wanted. I would assume this applies to most other makes as well. All it could do is apply idle fees, which would be a deterrent, especially after being burned once or twice. But this wouldn't apply to "free" stations. In these locations, I would be wary to leave my car unattended for fear of someone in need sabotaging my car for being selfish and not releasing the charger when I was full.

As we all didn’t know that other cars do not lock the cable, probably others think that all cars don’t lock…so one could make some damage …. That’s why I’m going to repeat what I wrote five,six pages ago: I’d never (ever) touch other’s property.
(btw: i don’t use FB, so i couldn’t vote on your poll….make it here if you are interested in what Taycan owners think)

 

[caslca]

I think this thread could've also benefited from a poll. I have no problem with an etiquette protocol where your car can get unplugged when charged. unfortunately, the technology isn't there to allow the taycan to be safely unplugged. I also have no idea what cars out there are ok with a live AC or DC plug being pulled out.

If the car supported courtesy unplug mode somehow (say with some user-configurable min charge level), I'd be fine to use it since my car would've been designed for such actions.

For now, I like the tag idea. I'd happily leave my phone# for someone to text me at if they require charging and my car has reached whatever % i'm after.

 

[Jhenson29]

I respect your decision to wait...possibly for days.

Really? That’s my decision? …hang on, I need one more eye roll.

I think if you read the very first thing I said in this thread, you’ll find that my decision is to not use public charging.

The amount of time I wait for other vehicles is zero.

 

[Jhenson29]

Perhaps Detansinn and many other Porsche owners feel a little entitled?

I think the person who feels entitled is the one who posted this:

I contemplated unplugging their unattended car and getting my quick charge in 5 minutes and plugging theirs back in

 

[f1eng]

For most chargers having some sort of progressively more expensive timing charge when the charge power drops below a certain value should concentrate the minds of the selfish.

IME the biggest problem has been free chargers where in the early years there haven’t been many users so some people have got into the habit of using them as all day parking.
Since they have no provision for payment some sort of financial disincentive is hard to come up with.

 

[WattTurbo]

Really? That’s my decision? …hang on, I need one more eye roll.

I think if you read the very first thing I said in this thread, you’ll find that my decision is to not use public charging.

The amount of time I wait for other vehicles is zero.

But when you travel some day, and encounter this situation, what would do then?

 

[Jhenson29]

But when you travel some day, and encounter this situation, what would do then?

I have no plans to do that prior to the infrastructure being acceptable. It’s a non-issue for me right now.

 

[Dee]

Better bring a list of cars that CAN'T be disconnected after charging.
I'll start:
Porsche (incl. hybrids)
Audi (incl. hybrids)
BMW (incl. hybrids)
Mercedes (incl. hybrids)
Jaguar iPace
VW ID3/4/5 (not sure about hybrids, probably too).
Skoda Enyac iV.
Honda E.
Nissan Leaf (new models)
All Peugeot, Renault (except Twizy).
Kia
Hyundai
Volvo
Toyota Prius
Tesla (*don't ever try to disconnect an adapter!)
...
Feel free to add to the list.

So what are the chances you'll get into a situation that you want to unplug a car that is not on the list?
Probably none.
So that's why this discussion is a bit of a waste of time and words imho.
I just don't want to mess with other people's property, like the way I don't like they mess with mine and I don't think there is much more to say about this.
At least for me.

*although the battery may be 100%, the AC is working, preheating/cooling is active etc.
You just can't tell.
If you disconnect the adapter it can create all sorts of errors/problems for the owner, maybe even switch off the charger...

 

[B61]

I just don't want to mess with other people's property, like the way I don't like they mess with mine and I don't think there is much more to say about this.
At least for me.

+1
amen & eod.

 

[Snowbird]

Better bring a list of cars that CAN'T be disconnected after charging.
I'll start:
Porsche (incl. hybrids)
Audi (incl. hybrids)
BMW (incl. hybrids)
Mercedes (incl. hybrids)
Jaguar iPace
VW ID3/4/5 (not sure about hybrids, probably too).
Skoda Enyac iV.
Honda E.
Nissan Leaf (new models)
All Peugeot, Renault etc.(except Twizy).
Tesla (don't ever try to disconnect an adapter!)
...

So what are the chances you'll get into a situation that you want to unplug a car that is not on the list?
Probably none.
So that's why this discussion is a bit of a waste of time and words imho.
I just don't want to mess with other people's property, like the way I don't like they mess with mine and I don't think there is much more to say about this.
At least for me.

that’s it .

If you disconnect, how can you move the car facing the charger?

no more watch this thread. Have a good day all of you

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