Frustrated Tesla owners are imposing a new form of vigilante justice on drivers who abuse charging sites.
Electric car drivers around the world are familiar with being “ICEd”, a slang term for when a regular petrol or diesel car with an internal combustion engine takes a space reserved for electric vehicle charging.
Now, drivers who need to charge electric cars are reporting that other EV owners are parking in charging spaces without plugging them in.
Teslarati.com reports that Tesla owners have been busted “taking up valuable charging stalls even if they’re not charging their cars at all”, prompting fellow owners to take action.
It’s not possible to move another Tesla owner’s car without their permission. But it is possible to plug their car into a charging unit, which will make them pay for electricity and, once fully charged, apply “idle fees” to their account.
Tesla’s $1 per minute idle fees discourage owners from leaving cars parked at charging sites, blocking access for other owners.
Twitter user “Jay in Shanghai” says owners can make sure that rival owners are connected to charging stations so that “Tesla’s idle fee is activated”.
Another Tesla owner on twitter, “BLKMDL3”, says he takes action to discourage people from parking without Supercharging.
He told followers “I plugged it in for them so they can get some idle fees since there’s a 5 car line”.
A Tesla left unplugged would not attract fines from the brand. But a model plugged in without charging for two hours attracts $120 in fees.
Electric car fans had mixed reactions to the emerging trend, with Facebook and Twitter users divided by owners’ actions.
Some said they “hate those who just use the spot as ‘free parking’”, and praised the charging vigilantes by saying “not all heroes wear capes”.
Others felt that there was a simple rule that should apply when considering whether to plug someone else’s car into a charger.
“Don’t touch stuff that isn’t yours”.