Blocking fees are applied for the following reasons:
- Encouraging fair use of charging stations
- In general, blocking fees are raised by the operators of the charge points to encourage drivers to remove their fully charged vehicle from the charging station, so another car may be charged.
- Avoiding misuse of parking spaces
- Some charging stations might be located in parking lots where parking fees apply for gasoline cars but not for EVs during charging. In order to discourage EV drivers from using these spots as free parking spots after the car is fully charged, operators of charge points might raise blocking fees.
- There could also be car parks, such as shopping centres, where you need to pay parking fee upon entrance of their premises, as well as blocking fee if your vehicle occupies the charge point for longer than 90 / 120 / 180 minutes, depending on the station's conditions.
- Maximising efficiency at High Power Charging (HPC) stations
- Lastly, High Power Charging Stations can quickly charge one car after the other and thus should not be blocked by a car that is fully charged as it would defeat their purpose.
Additional notes:
- Blocking fees vary depending on the charge point operator and local regulations.
- Always check station-specific policies in your MB.CHARGE Public app or charging card terms before starting a session.