The Unspoken Rules of EV Charging

As electric cars hit 40% of new sales, an unwritten etiquette has emerged at public charging stations.

Rule one: don't occupy a fast charger past 80%. Rule two: don't unplug someone else's car just because you think they are done. Rule three: the "car nap" while charging is universally accepted.

Some stations now enforce idle fees — $1 per minute after charging completes. Others use apps that let drivers queue politely from their couches.

The learning curve is almost funny. In a decade we may look back on pre-EV charging manners the way we now recall dialing a rotary phone — quaint and slightly baffling.