Fine introduced for misuse of EV charging bay

What took them so long?

And maybe if they could enforce disabled bays as well.

Enforcement will be an issue and non public parking spaces where many chargers are based are not included such as garage forecourt or apartments or hotels.

I know fines are already issued by parking wardens in Bray at least and clamping in Dublin city centre but these are mostly for EVs that did not pay for parking or stayed parked after charging completed as in Bray parking is free only while charging.

The wording in the law is not clear if you charge and overstay when charge completed have you committed an offence if you have paid for parking.

It will allow ICE on public streets to be fined by wardens even if they have paid for parking, but I don't know if it will do anything for EVs parked all day while plugged in. ESBs overstay fee for AC chargers only applies after 10 hours, but possibly only if still actively charging but most cars will be full after 10 hours so technically charging may have stopped so the overstay fine may not actually be applied to anyone on AC. Tow away like happens in Netherlands with a number to call would be better. Clamping used to happen in Blanchardstown but the centre chose to stop it after complaints.

This already existed and had an 80E fine.

The charger on golden lane is often used by a model 3 who never plugs in.

Theres another charger on Mark street and that's used by a Prius who obviously thinks it's a spot exclusively for him.

So what happens if you're in an E-tron or something and have to park across two spaces to use the charger?

I mean, it's down to bad design of the chargers (and car). So you technically aren't abusing the charging space

(Btw, I know the answer, you'd be done for bad parking instead, I'm just having a little joke 😉)

Be easier to have a hefty fine for ANY vehicle parked at a public EV charging bay for more than 30 minutes. That'd soon sort things out, allow a quick charge top up. Cut all the crap.

They only self charge when they're moving, so parking a hybrid in a charging spot is wrong 😜

Ah I didn't know that, I never owned one, only followed what the ads said, my bad

There is one particular 22kW charger in Ranelagh almost permanently taken by a PHEV, whenever the parking is free. Obviously a local resident, but the overstay fee only activates after 10hrs on a 7 / 22kW charger. It should be 2hrs maximum, even on a 7kW.

That would cover the vast majority of PHEV's to maximum charge at 7kW and likely give a BEV driver a very decent to up (since they'd be at 22kW).

There needs to be at much turn over as possible at on-street chargers, and big fines for overstaying. EV drivers are worse for blocking chargers than ICE I think.

Oh, and as a driver of a 330e - I think we need to ban PHEV's from public chargers, or at least some of them. I'm on the fence about it if I'm honest, and I really do think PHEV's have their merits, but we need to keep public chargers available for BEV's, and anything but a ban doesn't work in practice.

Only a few BEVs charge at 22kW, most will max out at 7kW or 11kW on the 22kW chargers

So I'm not sure 2 hours would really work

I think the main problem is that AC chargers are like gold dust, especially around Dublin. And ESB don't have any interest in installing more of them

I think basically if your car has a plug and can take on electricity from that plug then charge away. Note you should be actively charging. If you are driving a "self charging" vehicle (Toyota) or a petrol or diesel then you are breaking the law by parking (blocking) a charger.

Have always argued that on street EV chargers should not be hogged including by fully charged EVs. However many view them as destination chargers and therefore fair game for anyone lucky enough to find a free one on a 'possession is 9/10ths of the law' basis. Its most frustrating to be driving around with low range finding the minimal no of such chargers hogged by fully charged EV, Phevs etc. Serious lack of consideration, especially by EV drivers who should best appreciate their importantce