Charging at Night Could Prove To Be Problematic for EV Owners
One obstacle poses a charging obstacle for a big portion of electric vehicle customers: the night.
Written by Andrew Kidd
Reviewed by Serena Aburahma
Electric vehicles
are on track to be the new norm for many, but are officials and automakers overlooking the safety of more than half the population?As
Metro
reports, electric charging stations are popping up everywhere
to meet the increased demand caused by wider adoption of electrified vehicles. But they're not always in highly visible public areas.Keeping safe while charging
This is a cause for concern for women driving alone in remote areas, who might feel unsafe waiting as their car charges.
And unlike gas-powered vehicles, which take minutes to fill up, electric cars take 30 minutes to
half a day
to charge.For vulnerable people, being alone for 30 minutes is terrifying—especially if the charging point doesn't work as well as it should.
One woman interviewed by Metro considered her options when in a remote location with few charging options: either wait at the rural charging point alone or drive in the dark with lights off following a car ahead of her. She chose the latter.
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Dangers in the night
It turns out that women are afraid to wait for their cars to charge at night while alone—which is understandable, considering they've been assaulted and killed for daring to do such innocuous things as walk home in the dark in the past.
Online car marketplace Heycar is advocating for safety standards in the U.K. for its 33,000 public chargers, calling for well-lit areas, monitored security cameras and emergency contact buttons to summon local authorities.
It hopes these standards will boost vulnerable electric car drivers' confidence and mark safe stopping points.
The campaign follows a survey of drivers that found 80.3% feel vulnerable when charging their electric car, 62.9% think security measures are inadequate, and 88.5% have avoided charge points because they felt unsafe.
Even the sketchiest gas station often has lighting, cameras and staff on hand to keep an eye out for customers; after all, customers being assaulted on the premises is bad for business.
Charging stations, on the other hand, can often be tucked away in poorly lit or lightly traveled areas and are rarely staffed with an attendant.
It causes some women to plan their trips far in advance, picking charging stations ahead of time with contingency plans in case one isn't operating.
Not an isolated matter
Most women surveyed by Keele University were concerned about charging late at night. Due to the lack of amenities at most charge points, many drivers felt "trapped" in their vehicles while charging, with disabled women feeling especially vulnerable.
Researchers note that the focus on charging speed and availability of charging stations has caused officials to overlook the needs of vulnerable populations, like women, who are more often victims of unprovoked violence than men.
Volkswagen Financial Services and ChargeSafe, an independent, five-star public charging rating system based on safety and accessibility, support Heycar's change campaign.
Make sure you're covered
Once you've found a safe location to charge your electric vehicle, you should take a moment to ensure you're paying the best rate on your car insurance. The best way to get the lowest rate is to shop around—and
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