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Six ways to avoid electric vehicle ‘charge rage’

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Charge rage - a new experience for many as electric car drivers can't charge up when they want to

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27 September 2014

man in a rage
Charge rage – a new experience for many as electric car drivers can’t charge up when they want to

WE’VE all heard of road rage. But here’s a new type of rage at the more genteel end of motoring: at the electric vehicle charge point.

How is this?

All those drivers who have chosen to go green with either electric cars or plug-in electric hybrids are all searching for places to recharge their depleted batteries.

According to Ecotricity – the green energy company – the number of electric vehicles recharging with green electricity from the wind and sun has soared by nearly 1500% over the past 12 months at the 180 fast charging stations covering 85% of the motorway network.

So there is competition for the green go juice. It is this that is leading to what is being termed ‘charge rage’.

Woman charging an EV
EV charging points: can lead to explosive confrontations

“We now have over 10,000 plug-in electric vehicles on Britain’s roads and around 800 new members joining the Electric Highway every month,” commented Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity and the Electric Highway.

“Firstly, without doubt the biggest problem that electric motorists have encountered, is drivers of cars with internal combustion engines unknowingly parking in charging bays – it’s called ICE-ing.

“This rapid increase has flagged up the need for cooperation between motorists at the electric pump. So we thought it was time to propose EV etiquette when using the Electric Highway.

“Secondly, there are some cases of EV drivers leaving their cars parked at the electric pumps, after they’ve completed their charge.

 

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Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton is an award-winning journalist and the founder of Business Car Manager (now renamed Business Motoring). Ralph writes extensively about the car and van leasing industry as well as wider fleet and company car issues. A former editor of What Car?, Ralph is a vastly experienced writer and editor and has been writing about the automotive sector for over 35 years.

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