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Idle Fees and Charging Etiquette

The expansion of EV charging networks has highlighted the importance of managing idle fees and encouraging proper charging etiquette. Prolonged occupation of charging points and a lack of user awareness lead to inefficiencies, especially during peak usage times.

How Idle Fees and Etiquette are Currently Addressed

  1. Implementation of Idle Fees:
    Many operators in Europe now enforce idle fees after charging sessions are complete. These fees discourage users from leaving their vehicles parked at charging stations unnecessarily.

  2. Digital Notifications:
    Some charging platforms send real-time alerts to users when their session is near completion. This proactive communication helps users vacate charging spots promptly.

  3. Charging Session Monitoring:
    Apps integrated with the Mobi.E platform allow users to track their charging sessions in real-time, providing information on completion status and idle fee accrual.

Opportunities for Growth

  1. Enhanced Regulatory Framework for Idle Fees:
    To further streamline idle fee management, ERSE (Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços Energéticos) could establish new regulations explicitly authorizing idle fees post-charging.
  2. Regulatory Clarity: These rules would standardize idle fee application across all operators.
  3. Mobi.E Integration: Updating the tariffs module on Mobi.E to fully support idle fees could enable their seamless implementation while ensuring transparency for users.
  4. Impact: Formalizing the idle fee structure would create a fair and predictable system, benefiting both users and operators.