A Ford Ranger Raptor driver has drawn the ire of electric vehicle (EV) owners after blocking a charging station – and moving the battery charging cable into its tub.
In a post uploaded to the r/auckland group on social media platform Reddit, the Ford Ranger Raptor can be seen parked next to a Nissan Leaf in an EV charging space.
If this wasn’t enough of an inconvenience to EV drivers who may have wanted to recharge, the charging cable has been moved and stowed away in the Ranger’s tray, with the lid locked shut.
The post included many comments questioning the ute owner’s motive, in addition to EV drivers who were less than impressed with their antics.
While New Zealand road rules make it a towable offence for non-EVs and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) to park in an EV charging space, Stuff reports there’s no specific fine for the offence.
In Australia, different jurisdictions take different approaches to blocking EV chargers, with the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria banning the practice – all with fines of varying amounts.
There will be a Ranger you can plug in soon though, with a PHEV version of Australia’s best-selling vehicle due to arrive in 2025.
MORE: Is it legal to park at an electric car charger without charging?
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