Yes, there’s a whole list of do’s and don’ts to be followed when you take your electrified car to a public charging bay. EVgo has one, ChargePoint has one, and now LeaseElectricCar.co.uk has put together a set of unwritten rules, specially made for the Brits, who are struggling, I guess? As per a spokesperson of the company, “most of the etiquette points are common sense, but you’d be surprised at how many drivers ignore them.”  So what are those extremely common-sense, yet apparently difficult-to-grasp tips? Here are the 9 guidelines offered by LeaseElectricCar:

  1. Charging only Or: WHY ON EARTH would you park your car at a charging spot if you don’t need the charger?
  2. Look after the charge point Or: IS IT SO DIFFICULT to take care of the public property that enables your car to move?
  3. Plan your charging times Or: JUST MAKE SOME PREPARATION, before you start driving. There are apps for that. And Google.
  4. Ask politely Or: MIND YOUR MANNERS, being polite makes life much easier.
  5. Starting your charge Or: JUST CHARGE YOUR EV, that’s why you stopped there.
  6. Don’t unplug Or: IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU, there are other drivers who want to charge too.
  7. Rapid charging Or: ONLY FAST CHARGING EVS can use a fast charger — know your stuff.
  8. Fully charged Or: JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN CHARGE it doesn’t mean you have to.
  9. Do not block the bay Or: SUCK IT EARTH DESTROYERS, and show some respect. Well, there you have it. Those are the courtesy guidelines for EV charging. Are they a revelation? No, they’re shockingly basic, but there’s one thing they do show: unless we really get how the charging process works, transitioning to electrification will be much more of a challenge than we expected. Do EVs excite your electrons? Do ebikes get your wheels spinning? Do self-driving cars get you all charged up?  Then you need the weekly SHIFT newsletter in your life. Click here to sign up.