DRIVERS have been issued an urgent warning over EV parking rules that could cost them hundreds.
Motors expert Mike Potter urged car owners to stay aware of the regulations around electric car-only bays to avoid being stung with hefty penalties.
AFPA motors expert shared his top tips for using EV parking spaces[/caption]
Mike, CEO of DriveElectric, noted an increase in the number of reports of people being fined for misusing EV-dedicated parking spaces.
He told the Daily Record: ” All parking zones have rules that must be adhered to.
“In the same way a parent and child bay should only be used by a person with a young child, or a disabled parking bay only be used by someone with a blue badge, electric car parking bays are intended to be used only by vehicles powered by a battery for the purpose of recharging only.
“We have created a list of rules that must be obeyed to ensure you do not break EV parking rules, and also help you to avoid receiving a parking fine.”
Mike then shared his top tips to stay clear of a fine and use EV bays right.
First of all, the most obvious piece of advice was that non-EVs should not park in EV spaces under any circumstances.
The spaces are reserved for charging fully electric cars and plug-in hybrids and may not be used by petrol cars.
However, even if you are using them as an EV driver there are still some key rules to follow.
For example, you should make sure that your car is actually charging up and not just parked.
The spaces are specifically meant for charging and not to give EVs a convenient parking spot.
If you are not charging you have to find parking elsewhere like a normal car.
Similarly, Mike warned drivers that some spaces are advertised as free, but will automatically start charging drivers once the battery level reaches 100%.
Make sure to keep an eye on your car as it charges to avoid being forced to pay 50p a minute, or double that if the charging station as a whole is fully occupied.
Once you have finished charging, fire up the battery and move on.
Finally, it is important to check if the space is free at all times.
Many EV-only spaces are free to use, with only the cost of charging passed on to the driver.
However, sites like supermarkets will often only allow free parking if you use at least some of the time you spend charging to go in and buy something.
If the shop is closed, you can be fined for using the spot as you cannot claim to be a customer.
It comes after a motors expert revealed a hidden button that can help you park in tight spaces.
Meanwhile, a car reviewer explained the three reasons why nobody wants to buy electric cars.