“Getting ICE'd": who gets to park at charging station and for how long?

Who is allowed to park at charging stations?

If a public charging station is officially marked, a vehicle with a combustion engine is not allowed to park there. Specifically, at such a charging station there will usually be a blue traffic sign with a white P and below it a sign with the symbol of a plug. Sometimes the asphalt will also be painted (green) to indicate that only electric vehicles are allowed. Anyone who violates this rule risks a 58-euro fine.

Can you park your EV at a charging station without charging?

According to the Belgian highway code, you can only park your EV at a charging station if you actually connect the vehicle to that charging station. Again, if you breach this, you risk a fine of 58 euros. What the consequences are for EVs that remain parked after charging, is not explicitly stated in the legislation. The time period for charging is also not limited by the highway code.

Please note that local authorities may apply specific rules, such as requiring a parking disc or imposing a maximum parking time. So it is always advisable to look carefully at the signs. Action is also sometimes taken when an EV is left at a charging station after charging. Fines may be given or a rotation charge may apply. The latter is an additional fee you pay when charging is complete, to prevent your EV from occupying the charging station unnecessarily.

Be courteous and move your vehicle

Although, based on the highway code, it is not an official offence to stay at a charging station with a fully charged EV, it is obviously not very social towards other drivers who want to charge their vehicle. Therefore, it is important that everyone not only complies with the law, but also shows courtesy and respects charging etiquette. This inspired us to develop the Happy Charger charging disc. Through this charging disc, we want to give everyone the opportunity to make optimal use of public charging points. With this disc, drivers indicate when they expect their EV to be sufficiently charged and then release the charging point. This promotes courtesy and takes the annoyance out of traffic. But most importantly, you also show respect for other EV drivers by doing so.

Want to become a Happy Charger too? Read more about it and apply for your charging station disc for free here.

10 tips for proper charging etiquette

• 1.
  1.
  Only use a charging point when you are actually charging.
• 2.
  2.
  Monitor your charging time and move your EV after charging.
• 3.
  3.
  Do not charge the battery to 100% unless absolutely necessary.
• 4.
  4.
  Be prepared and use apps to find charging points.
• 5.
  5.
  Do not block other charging station users and park correctly.
• 6.
  6.
  Be courteous and do not attempt to disconnect other EVs.
• 7.
  7.
  Respect local guidelines (e.g. allowed time) for charging.
• 8.
  8.
  Do not use charging points for car sharing or other services.
• 9.
  9.
  Ensure there are local charging points and report any defects.
• 10.
  10.
  Follow the traffic rules and do not park against the direction of traffic.