Image Credit: Ratio EV Charging/UnsplashAnother strange motoring story has come from the UK, as it turns out that UK drivers are getting shock parking fines when they are stopping to charge their EVs. It has opened up a debate as to whether refuelling a car, in this case recharging, counts as parking.UK publication The Guardian was contacted by several readers in July 2026, via Guardian Money, who had all received fines after they had left their electric cars charging away from their homes. The fines they received were also quite significant.Those who have had fines state that signs were either not there or not clear that they would have to pay parking tariffs in order to charge the cars. It has also led to confusion, with some chargers being advertised as available to use, when actually using the chargers would breach the car park's terms and conditions.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Guardian reported some of the incidents that customers had sent it, while also detailing the extent of the fines that motorists had received. It has caused a huge amount of frustration for drivers. Some are now worried about using any public charger, on the off-chance that they will get fined.This Is What EV Owners Told the GuardianImage Credit: Zaptec/UnsplashKevin Laban spoke to the British publication about how, having bought an EV, he hoped it would save him money. However, after using a charger at a supermarket/grocery store car park, he soon found a £70/$95 parking charge notice (PCN) through the post. It said that he had used the service when the supermarket was shut.Laban did not know that EV charging is deemed parking by the landowner. Yet an app from the EV charger company Pod told him to use the charger in the Aldi car park. Yet according to Laban, Pod advertized the charger as open to the public. So in theory, if you are just going to charge a car, it shouldn't be an issue. But the car park's cameras were set to fine anyone who entered to use it, even though it was listed as open to the public."If the landowner does not want people charging outside store hours, the chargers must be deactivated, or the EV apps must sync with the parking restrictions," Laban said. He also said there were no signs in the car park, the app, or on the charger itself. Laban appealed the PCN, and it was cancelled by Aldi after he insisted that the terms and conditions should be more clearly displayed.Electric Cars Expose Problems With Car Park RulesImage Credit: Ratio EV Charging/UnsplashPodd said the app can show parking charges and restrictions, but that had to be set by the landowner. What the experience showed, however, was how UK car park rules have not evolved. They can't accommodate vehicles that only stop to charge in one of the designated bays. Laban is also far from the only member of the British public to be caught out by this, with another motorist discussing a similar incident.AdvertisementAdvertisementCliver Sanders* charged an EV at a car park in Devon, but had a £100/$135 PCN from parking operator Smart Parking. They said that as he had not paid for parking, and only for charging, he had broken the rules. "There was no indication on the InstaVolt charger that I needed to pay the parking tariff as well as the charging fee," he said. "InstaVolt assured me they could get the PCN cancelled and gave me a letter to send to Smart Parking, but it refused to comply." All InstaVolt could then do was offer a £50 credit to Sanders.Multiple People Have Had PCNs Due to EV ChargingImage Credit: Andrew Roberts/UnsplashAnthony Stone* was another person who had been hit with a £100 PCN when recharging an EV. He had recharged at an advertised charger in a Holiday Inn car park. But because he had not registered his number plate at the hotel, he was deemed to have violated the parking rules. "How many contracts should a driver be expected to enter to charge a vehicle?" he said. Clearly, something needs to change.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
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