Drivers charging electric cars handed shock parking fines

Electric vehicle drivers who stop to charge their cars are being hit with unexpected parking fines because many charging bays are located in car parks where standard parking charges and time limits still apply, creating what campaigners describe as a hidden tax on green driving.

The problem arises because most public charging points are installed in existing car parks — at supermarkets, service stations, retail parks and on-street locations — where the operator imposes parking conditions that are separate from the charging session. A driver who plugs in for a 45-minute charge may find that the car park's 30-minute free period has expired, triggering a penalty charge notice of up to £100.

The issue has caught out thousands of drivers since the rapid expansion of the public charging network. The RAC Foundation estimates that EV drivers received approximately 250,000 penalty charge notices related to charging sessions in the past year, a figure that has doubled since 2024.

Consumer groups are calling for a standardised approach that would link parking terms to the charging session, so that a driver paying for electricity is automatically granted the parking time needed to complete the charge. Some operators have begun to implement such systems, but the market remains fragmented, with different rules applying at different sites even when they are operated by the same company.

The government has acknowledged the problem and said it is working with the British Parking Association and charge point operators to develop a code of practice. In the meantime, drivers are being advised to check parking terms carefully before plugging in — advice that many say defeats the purpose of a network that was supposed to make charging as simple as filling a tank.