UK | New research from Sainsbury’s Smart Charge has revealed that over half of electric vehicle drivers (51 percent) admitted to ‘ghost charging’.
Ghost-charging has been used to describe the growing trend of pretending to charge at an EV plug-in point to nab a parking space.
Seventy percent of electric vehicle owners agreed there was a lack of etiquette within the EV community, with nearly nine in ten drivers admitting to experiencing frustration at charging stations due to other drivers not following the rules.
When it comes to common bugbears amongst EV owners, plug hogging, long waiting time, poor parking skills, and cable spaghetti - drivers taking the 'wrong side' charging cable were rated as the top peeves.
To help combat these frustrations, the UK’s leading etiquette coach, William Hanson, has partnered with Sainsbury’s Smart Charge to co-create an EV Etiquette Guide. Including relatable anecdotes and advice, the guide will help settle driver disputes and encourage EV drivers to think twice about their charging station manners.
Sainsbury’s, which has over 400 ultra-rapid Smart Charge bays in supermarket car parks across the country, has found that nearly two in five EV drivers don’t feel as confident charging their EV as filling a car with fuel at a petrol station. Fifteen percent admit that it feels like the “wild west” as they navigate the unknown protocols that should be followed in public.
“It’s been an absolute honour helping to educate the British public on appropriate social etiquette when navigating the EV world, as no one likes an awkward encounter or a charging hog,” said Hanson.
“By working with Sainsbury’s Smart Charge to create an EV Etiquette Guide, we’re hoping to reduce the frustrations the electric vehicle community feels so people can have a more enjoyable, stress-free experience.”
Littering (20 percent), not following instructions (22 percent), and engaging in small talk (18 percent) also topped EV drivers' pet peeve list.
When asked how they use their time while waiting for their EV to charge, nearly half admitted that they use this wait time as an opportunity to have some time for themselves (47 percent), do their weekly supermarket shop (29 percent), have a break from their partner (13 percent) and children (12 percent) or even using it as an opportunity to catch up on work or emails (32 percent).
“We know that the rules around EV charging can be a minefield, but Smart Charge aims to make everyday life easier for drivers. We always listen to our customers and want to help solve common problems, creating a better experience for all,” said Trish Devlin, Customer Director at Sainsbury’s Smart Charge.”
“Smart Charge is designed to offer a unique and convenient service, providing wide and accessible parking bays, an easy-to-use contactless payment system and plenty of practicality for customers.”
Smart Charge is a UK supermarket's only wholly owned and end-to-end managed EV charging business. The service is customer-focused, helping to improve the charging experience for all. It is intended to help advance the uptake of electric vehicles in the country, making charging on the go more accessible and supporting the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
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