How people behave while they’re charging their electric vehicle (EV) in public matters. It’s a shared space, so it’s important you use good etiquette and keep others in mind.
As electric vehicles (EVs) become more popular and the charging network continues to grow, more people than ever are using public chargepoints.
Some simple good manners at the chargepoint will help making everyone’s charging experience and overall journey less stressful.
We know the charging experience can be different if you’re in a wheelchair, or it’s your first time in your EV.
Whatever your experience level or mobility needs, we’ll tell you a few simple things you should always do, and a few you should always avoid.
- What is charging etiquette?
- Good and bad public charging etiquette
- Tips to help you charge with confidence
- Stay courteous
What is charging etiquette?
Simply put, it’s having good manners while you’re charging, and thinking of other people.
When you charge in public, at an accessible EV charging station, you’re using a shared space. It’s a place anyone can use, and you’ll likely always have other people around you.
It’s just like when you fill up a petrol or diesel car, except you’ll spend more time there while you top up. You’ll also often find there are fewer bays, and you’ll need to rely on apps to help you charge.
Good and bad public charging etiquette
Here are some things you should always do, and some things you should steer clear of:
Do
✅ Be patient and respectful if there’s a queue
✅ Leave room for others when you park, especially around wide bays
✅ Use apps to track your charging progress
✅ Stay considerate of people who use wheelchairs or mobility aids
✅ Keep your cable tidy and be mindful of where it’s sitting
✅ Report broken chargepoints, so they get fixed sooner
✅ Move your EV once you’ve finished charging
Remember, some charging bays on the street might have cross-pavement charging solutions. This means the cable will be hidden, usually inside the pavement, so no one can trip on it.
Do not
❌ Park or sit idle in an EV bay if you’re not charging
❌ Block a bay or an accessible space
❌ Unplug someone else’s car, without their permission
❌ Leave cables in a mess after you’ve finished
Tips to help you charge with confidence
If you’re brand-new to EVs, no matter how kind your intentions you simply might not have the knowledge or experience to know what makes for thoughtful charging etiquette.
Here’s how you can get started:
- Sign up to our EV email series to get up to speed on EVs basics
- Begin exploring EV charging apps, including Zapmap
- Look into the different connector types
- Get your head around plug sharing, which is when people who own private EV chargepoints rent this out for others to use
Remember, like with most things, charging gets easier the more you do it. Before long, you’ll be an expert. Then people will come to you for charging advice.
Stay courteous
If everyone’s nice and considerate of each other at the chargepoint, everyone will have a nicer time charging. And a more pleasant journey overall.
Remember our tips, and you’ll be seen as a super courteous EV driver. And your behaviour will likely rub off on others too. Keep others in mind while you charge and everyone will benefit.
Sign up to our electric car series
It’s our exciting email series for anyone looking to learn more about electric cars. We’ll explain how they work and show you what life with one could look like. You’ll get one email each week, for eight weeks.
