Rubicon Introduces R250 Fines for EV Charger Hogging at South African Stations

• Rubicon, South Africa's second-largest EV charging operator with around 100 locations, has introduced idle penalties at busy charging stations
• The move follows a 141% surge in new EV registrations during the first half of 2026, putting public charging infrastructure under serious strain
• EV drivers have been calling for stricter enforcement, including camera monitoring and wheel clamping, to keep charging bays accessible

SOUTH AFRICA — Rubicon has become the first South African electric vehicle charging operator to impose financial penalties on drivers who leave their cars plugged in after a session has ended, charging R250 for every 15 minutes beyond an initial grace period.

The company, which operates roughly 100 public charging locations and ranks as the country's second-largest provider, allows a 15-minute window once a vehicle's charging session concludes. After that, the overstay fee kicks in automatically, processed through a driver's linked payment card or prepaid digital wallet.

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EV Sales Surge Strains Public Infrastructure

The policy follows an exceptional rise in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle (EV/PHEV) uptake in 2026. More than 1,900 new EVs were registered in the first six months of the year, representing a 141% increase on the same period in 2025, even excluding figures from popular imported emerging brands. Public charging infrastructure has not kept pace with that growth, intensifying competition for available connectors at shared stations.

Drivers have increasingly arrived at charging bays to find spaces occupied by vehicles that finished charging some time earlier, or by plug-in hybrids whose owners have switched to running on petrol, effectively blocking access for those who need a charge.

Calls for Stricter Enforcement

Frustration within the EV community has been growing steadily. Many owners have urged dealerships to brief new buyers on charging etiquette at the point of delivery, arguing that a lack of awareness among newer drivers is compounding the congestion problem.

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Community members have gone further, advocating for camera monitoring at charging stations, automated overstay notifications, and physical wheel clamping for non-electric vehicles occupying designated EV bays, a practice commonly referred to as "ICEing" in the broader EV sector.

Matching International Practice

By adopting overstay penalties, Rubicon aligns itself with established charging operators in international markets, where steep idle fees and active enforcement against bay-blocking have been standard practice for several years. The approach is widely regarded as essential to keeping public charging infrastructure functional as EV adoption scales up.

More on SA transport and motoring updates

• Briefly News recently reported on the Post Office's major upgrade to vehicle licence renewals nationwide, following a successful Gauteng trial.
• Security guards scanning IDs at estates and offices face huge changes under new data protection rules.
• South Africans reacted to new AARTO speed fine rules rolled out across 62 municipalities, sparking a legal challenge from OUTA.

Source: Briefly News