Real-World Scenarios
Learn from common charging situations with clear do's and don'ts
Scenario 1: Busy Highway Rest Stop
Situation:
You arrive at a highway rest stop with 4 DC fast chargers. All are occupied, and there's a line of 2 EVs waiting. Your battery is at 15%.
✅ DO:
- Join the queue patiently
- Charge only to 80% unless absolutely necessary
- Move your car immediately when done
- Consider alternative nearby stations if available
❌ DON'T:
- Park in a charging spot without charging
- Charge to 100% while others wait
- Leave your car unattended for extended periods
- Argue with other drivers about queue position
Scenario 2: Shopping Center Charging
Situation:
You're shopping at a mall with Level 2 chargers in the parking lot. You plan to shop for 2 hours and your car will be fully charged in 1 hour.
✅ DO:
- Set a phone reminder for when charging completes
- Move your car after charging if others are waiting
- Check charging apps for notifications
- Consider using a regular parking spot after charging
❌ DON'T:
- Leave your car plugged in all day after charging completes
- Ignore charging completion notifications
- Assume it's okay to overstay because you're shopping
Scenario 3: Workplace Charging
Situation:
Your office has 6 Level 2 chargers for 15 employees with EVs. You arrive early and can get a charging spot.
✅ DO:
- Follow any workplace charging policies
- Rotate charging spots fairly with colleagues
- Move your car by a set time if requested
- Communicate with coworkers about charging needs
❌ DON'T:
- Hog the same charging spot every day
- Charge when you don't really need it
- Ignore established rotation systems
Scenario 4: Emergency Low Battery
Situation:
Your battery is critically low (3%) and you find a charging station with one car that appears to be done charging but the owner isn't present.
✅ DO:
- Look for contact information on the car
- Check if the car is actually still charging
- Wait a reasonable amount of time
- Seek help from nearby businesses or security
❌ DON'T:
- Immediately unplug the other vehicle
- Touch or move the other person's car
- Leave an angry note
- Block the charging spot with your car
Scenario 5: Adapter Sharing
Situation:
You have a CHAdeMO adapter and see another EV owner struggling because the station only has CCS connectors available.
✅ DO:
- Offer to help if you're comfortable
- Share charging etiquette knowledge
- Suggest alternative nearby stations
- Be patient and understanding
❌ DON'T:
- Lend expensive adapters to strangers
- Assume others know about compatibility issues
- Be condescending about their lack of knowledge