EV Charging Etiquette: A Personal Request to Every EV Owner

If you own an electric vehicle in India, you have almost certainly faced this at least once. You arrive at a charging station after planning your stop, and find a petrol or diesel car parked right in the charging bay. No charging cable. No EV green number plate. Just a regular ICE vehicle sitting there as if the bay were a general parking spot.

It is genuinely frustrating. EV charging bays exist for a reason, and when they are blocked by vehicles that have no business being there, it creates real inconvenience especially on a highway stop where the next charger may be 50 km away.

The lack of awareness from some ICE vehicle owners about EV infrastructure is something that needs to change, and that conversation is happening. But I want to put something else forward today — something that does not get talked about as often.

As EV owners, there are things we can do better too. The EV community in India is still young and growing. The habits we build now will define the culture around public charging for years to come. So here is a personal request from one EV owner to every other on how we can all do our part.

Park properly

When you pull into a charging bay, take a moment to park correctly — aligned with the charger, within the marked space, close enough that the cable reaches comfortably. A car parked at an odd angle or too far from the unit can make it difficult for the next person to use the adjacent bay. It takes thirty seconds and makes a real difference.

If you are not charging, do not occupy the spot

Charging bays are not general parking. If you have stopped to grab a coffee or use the restroom but are not actively charging, please do not park in the charging bay. Park in a regular spot. The bay may be needed by someone whose battery genuinely cannot wait.

Once your charge is done, move your car

This one matters more than people realize. When your session is complete, move your car as soon as you can. Leaving a fully charged vehicle in a charging bay — sometimes for hours — is one of the most common frustrations reported by EV owners at public stations. Someone may be sitting nearby waiting for that spot.

Do not press the emergency stop button unless it is an emergency

Most fast charging stations have a red emergency stop button. It is there for genuine safety situations. Pressing it unnecessarily — out of curiosity, by accident, or because something minor seems off — shuts down the entire charging session and sometimes the whole station. If something seems wrong with your session, the first step is to call the operator helpline, not hit the button.

Place the gun and cable back properly

After your session ends, place the charging gun back in its correct holder. Make sure the cable is not tangled, twisted, or left lying on the ground. A cable left in poor condition can get damaged, and the next person arriving at the station may find equipment that does not work because of how it was left. It takes ten seconds.

Never unplug someone else's car

Even if another car looks fully charged, do not unplug it. That decision belongs to the owner. If you urgently need the spot, call the station helpline and request them to contact the car owner to vacate. Most operators have this process in place.

Keep the area clean

Many charging stations are unattended. There is no staff to clean up after you. If you have had a snack or a drink while waiting, take the wrapper and cup with you or find a bin. A clean charging station is a better experience for everyone who comes after you.

Report damaged equipment

If you arrive and find a damaged gun, a broken cable, or a display that is not working — report it to the operator immediately. Do not just drive away. One call or message can get it fixed before the next ten people arrive and face the same problem.

Wait your turn

If someone arrived at the station before you, they go first. It sounds obvious, but queue-jumping at charging stations happens more than it should. The EV community is small. How we treat each other matters.

Think of a public charging station the way you think of a public washroom. Leave it the way you would want to find it.

None of this is complicated. Most of it is just common sense and basic consideration for the people who come after you. But good habits need to be stated and reinforced, especially when a community is still finding its feet.

The frustration we feel when an ICE vehicle blocks our charging spot is real. Let us make sure we are never the reason someone else feels frustrated at a charging station.

This article reflects the personal views of the author and is intended as a community message for EV owners in India.