In denser areas, it happens that some electric cars “squat” the charging stations. The Ariège departmental energy union wants to hunt for “buffer cars”.
If public charging stations are open continuously, users do not always have the day ahead of them. So when vehicles park for free for several hours in a place dedicated to recharging, it makes people grimace. They are called “buffer cars”. “Even if they have finished their charge, these vehicles remain parked in front of the terminal for a long time and take the place of someone else”, explains Frédérique Massat, director of SDE 09.
This kind of case can happen regularly in the most important municipalities of the department, namely Foix and Pamiers. It represents a problem to be managed for the union and the communities concerned. Some (like Foix) have already been alerted to this. “We have to hunt down these cars!”, says Frédérique Massat in a determined tone. And to ensure: “We are not going to install additional terminals because there are buffer cars which block other users.”
However, today’s intruders can face a deterrent factor. “From now on, when the cars remain connected to the terminal, even if the battery is recharged to 100%, we continue to charge”, thunders the director of the SDE Ariège. She completes: “We have already seen additions of 40 or 50 euros for cars that have stayed 5 or 6 hours. It also helps to deter”. If users must therefore exercise caution not to pay more than expected, the “buffer cars” have better watch out.