Your car is full, but it is still plugged in. Many operators then let a per-minute rate run: the idle fee. It exists so a full car does not occupy the spot for hours while someone else waits their turn. The amount per minute is usually small, but it adds up faster than you think.
How does it work?
As soon as your car stops charging, the clock starts. With many operators you first get a free grace period of a few minutes. After that you pay per minute, sometimes with a cap per session, sometimes without. The rate, the grace period and the cap differ per operator, per charger and sometimes per time of day. They can also change, so check them each time on the charger or in the app of your charging card.
The fee often does not depend on how much you charged, only on how long the car stays plugged in. A car that is full after ten minutes costs just as much idle time as a car that is full after two hours.
A worked example
Say a fast charger gives 10 minutes of free grace and then charges 0.50 euro per minute. These are assumptions to calculate with, not real rates.
You charge at the shopping centre while you do your shopping. Your car is full at 14:00, but you only get back to the charger at 14:40.
- Total time after charging ended: 40 minutes
- Free grace period: 10 minutes
- Paid minutes: 30
- Idle fee: 30 x 0.50 euro = 15 euro
That is 15 euro for nothing, because the car had long since stopped charging. At 0.20 euro per minute you would pay 6 euro. The principle stays the same: every minute after the grace period costs something.
When does it add up?
It mostly happens when you cannot judge well how long a charge will take:
- You charge during an appointment, a dinner or a film and do not know exactly when it ends.
- The car charges faster than expected. At a powerful fast charger the battery can be full sooner than you estimated, especially if it arrived half full.
- You charge in the evening or at night and leave the car until morning. At some chargers the fee keeps running all night.
One detail that is easy to forget: at a fast charger, charging slows down as the battery fills up. The last few percent take a lot of time for little extra range, and you stay plugged in longer than needed. You can read more in our article on the charging curve. Feel free to stop at 80%: you leave sooner and the next driver can plug in.
How to avoid it
- Before you plug in, check the grace period and the rate per minute. If it is not on the charger, it is in the app.
- Set a charge limit, in the car or via the app, for example 80% when fast charging.
- Set a timer on your phone for when the charge should be done, with a few minutes to spare for the walk back.
- Turn on notifications in the app of your charging card or the operator, if they have them. Many apps send a message when charging stops.
- Plan your charge so you stay nearby. A short walk or a coffee works fine, a full shopping trip is often too long.
- Drive away as soon as you are done and park elsewhere for the rest of your appointment.
When does it not apply?
Not every charger has an idle fee. At many slow AC chargers, for example at work or at a quiet overnight spot, a car can simply stay for hours at no extra cost. Even free chargers sometimes have rules about maximum parking time. So do not assume it will be free: read the sign and the app.
If the charger is in a car park with its own parking rate, you may also pay parking on top. That is separate from the idle fee and a different rule.
What if you get a charge you did not expect?
First check in the app what exactly was billed: the duration, the grace period and the rate. If something looks wrong, for instance because the charger showed an error or stopped responding, contact the helpdesk of your charging card or the operator, with the time and charger number. Whether that works depends on your provider’s terms. A photo of the charger’s screen or of your car’s display helps.
It is also a matter of courtesy
Even without a fee, a full car at an occupied charger costs other people time. More on good manners at the charger is in our article on charging etiquette. Waiting for an occupied charger yourself? Read what you can do when a charger is occupied.