Monit: EV Charging Stations and ‘Charger Hogs'

The Dutch automobile association ANWB has issued a warning about unexpected high cost at EV charging stations in vacation destinations. To prevent ‘charger hogs’, there are often extra fees for the time you spend at a charging station, next to the charging costs itself. Leaving an EV plugged in at a charging station after the end of a charging session is also a phenomenon seen in the Netherlands. For a complete insight into this merging of EV charging and parking, EV charging station data has been integrated into Monit Data’s Parking Monitor.

A remarkable news item (Dutch only) during this vacation period. An unfortunate Dutch EV driver recently had to pay 480 Euro while charging overnights at a French campsite. This is because in addition to the charging costs, the EV charging station also charged a fee for the time plugged in. The Dutch automobile association ANWB warns that in many countries, unlike in the Netherlands, extra fees are often charged for this.

‘Charge hogs’

The number of EV vehicles on the road is growing quickly. And although the number of public EV charging stations is also growing, there is still a scarcity of capacity. That is why there is a lot of discussion about how to deal with so-called ‘charger hogs’, EV drivers who leave the car plugged in at a charging station after they have finished charging. In many countries, including popular vacation destinations, it is therefore not uncommon to find that in addition to charging costs there is also a fee for the time that an EV is plugged in.

In the Netherlands, in addition to any regular parking fees, there are generally no costs for leaving an EV plugged in. But ‘charger hogs’ are not an unknown phenomenon in daily life here either. It is of course very convenient to just leave your EV plugged in at a charging station while at a restaurant, shopping area, or museum for a few hours. This phenomenon is a clear example how the worlds of EV charging and parking are increasingly becoming intertwined.

Integrated EV information in the Parking Monitor.

To manage this merging of EV charging and parking, Monit Data has added integration of EV charging stations into the Monit Data Parking Monitor. All important information about parking and charging is easily available within one clear dashboard. This included analytics on such as occupancy, charging speeds, the length of charging sessions, the energy charged and revenues. With this integration parking facility managers now have all the information available in one view. giving the insights to optimize the availability of EV charging stations and minimize ‘charger hogs’.

The integration of EV charging station data in the Parking Monitor is based on the OCPI protocol. This open protocol simplifies communication between the various parties, such as CPO’s and MSP’s, involved in EV charging. This makes the use of EV charging stations easier and more transparent for EV drivers. The OCPI protocol is managed by the EV Roaming Foundation, of which Monit Data is also a member.

Going on vacation with your EV? Be informed!

For the EV drivers who are driving in their vacation? It is recommended to inform yourself in advance of the rates of an EV charging station at your vacation destination in advance. This can be done for example via the app from your charging card provider.

About Monit Data

Monit Data provides parking data analytics services for municipalities and private operators. User-friendly dashboards give clear information on car, EV, and bicycle usage. Use data-driven insights for urban mobility policies and day-to-day operational management.