Why this photo of a Ford Ranger has sparked outrage among electric vehicle drivers

Electric vehicle owners have slammed the driver of a Ford Ranger for blocking a charging station and hiding its battery cable.  

The utility took up the parking space at Sylvia Parks Shopping Centre in Mount Wellington, Auckland’s south-east, in May.

A passerby uploaded a photo of the brazen act to Reddit with the image showing the charging cable placed inside the tub on the back of the vehicle. 

Hundreds of motorists slammed the driver over the selfish act. 

‘These guys definitely think they’re funny for inconveniencing people,’ one wrote. 

‘Probably thinks he is so smart taking a spot from an EV,’ another wrote. 

Others suggested the motorist could be charging an electric vehicle which was in the tub. 

‘There’s a chance he’s actually charging something in there. You can charge e-[motor] bikes with those chargers, one wrote.  

‘The LED [indicator lights] is GREEN something in the bed is charging. Probably a large solar generator,’ another added. 

‘All those that jumped to conclusions and proposed vandalizing this persons car or attempting to publicly shame them, where are the apologies?’

Electric vehicle owners who use a charging station will be notified their vehicle is being charged by indicator lights. 

These lights appear on the vehicle display or on the charging station. 

Motorists in Australia who illegally take up electric vehicle parking spaces face hefty fines. 

Click here to resize this module

Drivers of petrol cars risk copping up to $3,200 in the ACT. 

The fine also applies to any vehicle parked in the space and that isn’t plugged into the charging cable. 

The same offence carries a $3,096 fine in Queensland, while motorists in NSW will be slugged up to $2,200. 

The New Zealand government passed new laws last year to punish motorists who park in a space that can only be used by electric vehicles. 

The amendment was made to the Land Transport (Road User) Rule. 

The law states that ‘a driver or person in charge of a vehicle must not stop, stand, or park the vehicle in a parking area reserved for the charging of electric vehicles.’ 

Motorists are only allowed to use the EV charging space if they own an electric vehicle.