- Electrify America wants to clamp down on EV users who hog fast chargers.
- A trial will see some stations halt charging after cars have hit 85 percent.
- It will also impose an extra fee for every minute a charged car blocks a charging point.
Despite ever-expanding charging infrastructure, public access points and recharging on the go remain two of the biggest bugbears about EV ownership. Just as range anxiety was once a big concern, charging anxiety is perhaps gearing up to be a bigger problem, with a recent study showing that one in five US chargers are non-operational.
However, even when chargers are working flawlessly, there’s another worry for EV owners: charge hogs. So-called charge hogs are drivers of EVs who needlessly occupy the space at chargers for longer than necessary. To combat this, Electrify America will begin penalizing customers who overstay their welcome. What’s deemed overstaying? Charging your battery anything over 85 percent.
Read: Harvard Study Says 1 In 5 Public EV Chargers Doesn’t Work
While getting a full tank is a familiar concept for ICE drivers, “brimming” an EV battery isn’t quite as simple. Many fast chargers can quickly recharge a depleted EV battery to 80 percent of its capacity. But topping off a battery with that last 20 percent usually takes a lot longer.
According to Robert Barrosa, president of Electrify America, fast chargers shouldn’t be used for that kind of recharge. So, the company will be rolling out a strict 85 percent charge limit at 10 of its busiest Californian charge stations. Power will be cut off at 85 percent, and if drivers don’t unplug their EVs after a 10-minute grace window, they’ll be charged an additional 40 cents per minute as “idle time.”
Speaking to CNN, Barossa concedes that the charging behavior his company is trying to combat is due to the fact that EVs are still new to most people. He reckons that most may not even know that there’s a significant slowdown in charging speed once a car’s battery is more than 80 percent full. “Once you’re at a charger, it’s like, ‘Oh, yeah. I’m filling all the way,’” said Barrosa.
Similar tactics are already employed at some of the most congested Tesla Supercharger stations. However, in those instances where charging is paused at 80 percent, drivers can still override the limit via on-screen prompts.
Electrify America’s woes are likely exasperated by the many free charging agreements that are in place with manufacturers. Owners of many new EVs from brands such as Mercedes and Hyundai are eager to take full advantage of the free refills on offer.
But what about those who need the extra juice when going on a long journey or perhaps own cars that have limited range even when full? Plus, there’s the small matter that, despite recent advances, not every location has as many charging stations as would be ideal. In those areas, Electrify America says they’re working on expanding their network. Barossa also says that Electrify America probably won’t institute an overall charging cap at stations near major highways.
What do you think? Should EV owners be prevented from brimming their batteries, or is there another way to combat “charge hogs?” Let us know in the comments below.
