Tesla owners have been taking matters into their own hands to address the issue of “supercharger hogging.” Supercharger hogging (or charger hogging) is when someone ties up a supercharger at a Tesla charging station without actually charging their vehicle. This practice can prevent other Tesla owners from using the available chargers and can be incredibly frustrating. In response, some Tesla owners have taken to shaming those who hog superchargers on social media and issuing warnings for repeat offenders. In this blog post, we’ll discuss why this issue has become so prevalent among Tesla drivers and how they are fighting back against it.
Tesla Superchargers Are in High Demand
Tesla Superchargers are in high demand because they offer a much faster way to charge your Tesla than other methods. Some Tesla owners have been known to “punish” those who tie up these chargers without actually using them to charge their car.
This punishment can take many forms, but usually involves some form of public shaming. For example, one Tesla owner posted a sign on a Supercharger that said “If you’re not charging, you’re blocking.” Another owner put up a sign that said “No Charge, No Parking.”
While it’s understandable that Tesla owners would want to ensure that everyone has access to these fast-charging stations, some have gone so far as to damage the cars of those who they feel are abusing the system. This is obviously not the best solution, and we hope that Tesla will find a way to address this issue before it gets out of hand.
Some Tesla Owners Are Abusing the Superchargers
Some Tesla owners are abusing the Superchargers by parking their cars there for hours without charging. This is preventing other owners from being able to charge their cars, and causing a bottleneck at the Superchargers.
Tesla has said that it is working on a solution to this problem, but in the meantime, some owners are taking matters into their own hands. They are calling out these abusers on social media, and even confronting them in person.
This behavior is not only inconsiderate, but it could also lead to higher electricity bills for everyone involved. So if you’re one of those people who likes to park at the Supercharger without actually charging, please stop. Let’s all be considerate of each other and keep these Superchargers available for those who need them.
The Punishments Tesla Is Dishing Out
As electric car ownership continues to grow, so do the number of people taking advantage of Tesla’s free Supercharger network. But some Tesla owners are abusing the system by tying up chargers without actually charging their cars, and others are taking matters into their own hands by punishing those who do.
One such owner is Bryan Reimer, a research scientist at MIT who has been tracking instances of Supercharger abuse. He told Autoblog that he’s seen an increase in the number of people leaving their cars at Superchargers for extended periods of time, often for hours at a time. This not only prevents other owners from being able to charge their cars, but it also reduces the overall efficiency of the network.
Reimer has started a Twitter account called @teslafreecharging, which he uses to publicly shame those he catches abusing the system. He posts photos and license plate numbers of offending cars, as well as the estimated length of time they’ve been parked at a charger. In some cases, he’s even contacted the owners directly to tell them to move their cars.
Tesla has said that it’s working on solutions to address Supercharger abuse, but in the meantime, it seems that some owners are taking matters into their own hands.