Public EV Charging Etiquette — 7 Unwritten Rules

"Is there an EV charging etiquette?" — Yes, and you'll be a better neighbour if you follow it. As public charging gets busier in 2026, these seven rules separate the considerate from the frustrating.

1. Don't ICE the Charger

Parking an internal-combustion car in a marked EV bay is the cardinal sin of public charging. Even five minutes is five minutes too long.

2. Unplug at 80%, Not 100%

Above 80% SoC, most EVs slow to a crawl on DC fast chargers. You're hogging the stall for 10 kWh while someone could grab 30 kWh in the same time. Leave at 80%, top up at home or your destination.

3. Move the Car When Done

Once charging finishes, move to a regular parking spot. CPO apps now charge idle fees after 5 minutes — and they're right to.

4. AC Bays for AC Chargers, DC Bays for DC

Don't park an AC-only car in a DC stall just because the bay is empty. You're blocking the wrong driver.

5. Report Broken Chargers

If a connector or screen is damaged, tap the report button in the app. CPOs respond fast when alerted; nobody fixes what they don't know about.

6. Don't Yank the Cable

Stop the session in the app first, then unlock and unplug. Pulling the cable mid-session can damage the connector and trigger faults that take the charger offline for hours.

7. Be Kind at Busy Sites

Friday evenings on the highway, weekend afternoons in cities — sites get queued. If someone's waiting, top to 70%, not 95%. Karma comes back.

Bonus: Help a First-Timer

You'll often see a confused first-time EV owner at a public charger. Two minutes of your time helping them through the app is the best advocacy for EVs you can do.