Electric vehicle (EV) chargers are in high demand as more battery-powered cars hit Australian roads, especially over periods like the Christmas holidays, which has made charging etiquette ever more crucial.
However, the message about being courteous to other users seemingly didn’t reach this Toyota bZ4X owner, who was pictured blocking a Tesla Supercharger bay in New South Wales.
In a photo uploaded to the Tesla Owners Australia Facebook group, the bZ4X can be seen parked parallel to the kerb and across three parking bays – blocking one Supercharger while using another.
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Though certain Tesla Superchargers – such as those at this station in Thrumster – were recently opened to other brands of EVs, the Toyota owner has effectively prevented one bay from being used, which is an offence in New South Wales.
The state can issue fines up to $2200 (20 penalty units worth $110 each) to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles which block EV chargers, however EV drivers can also face the same fine for parking in a charging bay without being plugged in.
Several commenters pointed to the bZ4X’s charging point location – behind the left-front wheel-arch – as a reason why the electric SUV was parked in such a way, though it doesn’t change the fact that it was parked illegally.
Tesla’s own charging app tells Supercharger users to not park sideways as it could block access to the chargers.
