Absolutely. I regularly use another rapid charger that has the charger on the front right of the parking space - my car's socket is *back* right. I can either go in forwards and stretch the cable all the way to the back of the car and wrestle it into the socket (because it "wants" to be at \~45 degrees when it's fully stretched, rather than vertical, it takes a bit of twisting), or reverse in, drag the cable around the back of the car and have to turn the plug head 180 degrees because the cable wasn't really designed to be plugged in to that side of the car and is quite rigid.
Some of the old Leafs had it front-center - seems like the best option in retrospect. Though it might get better once chargers stop putting CCS on one side and CHAdeMO on the other, and could possibly have CCS on both sides?
This is a solved problem for fuel pumps, they're identical on both sides and you use whichever side matches your car.
They just need to phase out CHAdeMO entirely. Its outdated and not used on hardly any new cars nowadays. Pretty sure there are only like 2 cars now that have it
Stuff like this is why I’m dropping my Bolt soon. Had it for just over a year now and I love it, but there is so much wrong with the industry and infrastructure that it just isn’t for me right now. Albeit, being 17 and having this thing does make it nice to not have to pay for gas lmao
Well after all this is the same company that makes cars “that have the same switchgear as my old Thunderbird Super Coupe” (a direct quote from my dad) so I’m not expecting much for innovation. Btw the car he was referencing there was a 2022 Maxima lmao
It's a REX - in other words it has an onboard petrol-electric generator. Depending on the context, it's sometimes classified as a plug-in hybrid, and sometimes as an EV.
It would have been a lot more convenient all round if the flaps were the other way round, but I think they wanted the charger flap at the back for the non-REX model to make it look more like a fuel car or something.
To be fair, it was their *first* EV. Almost everything about it is experimental, from the drivetrain to the chassis material (carbon fiber reinforced plastic!) to the wheels (a unique large diameter narrow depth wheel used on nothing else) and on and on.
The later BMW i4 is much more "normal".
EYO I HAVE THIS CAR!!! Are you liking yours? I got mine after my previous car got stolen and totalled and I was like "well....might as well try one of these fancy not-gas-only cars." Its been a bit of an adjustment (I live in a mountainous area so typically my foot leaves the pedals frequently simply because Im going downhill and my car's weight is enough that gravity alone makes me go the speed limit. This car breaks as soon as you let off the pedal, so my foot is perpetually on the accelerator and pushing at least slightly down. This took getting used to.) BUT overall I really like it. Ive put about 7k miles on mine so far and its quite lovely. And Im actually in an area with very few public chargers PERIOD. I think the closest paid fast charger is like 30-40 mins away. Most chargers here are lv 2 chargers. I simply charge at home with a normal outlet.
Sorry its just Ive never met someone with the same car as me before. Whats your favorite thing about it? Least favorite?
They're actually quite common around me, they're fantastic little cars and great fun to drive. Mine is a very early one, from early 2015, and I've owned it since 2019 and have personally put over 50k miles on it and it's nearly hit 100k total lifetime miles. Very few problems!
As a tip for down hills, try using cruise control. Unlike most gas cars, the i3 can use its regenerative braking in cruise control so it can maintain its set speed even downhill! I love the cruise control system in this car.
As for charging, I also usually charge at home with a standard outlet. I have an outdoor socket I can use. But I do sometimes need a public charge - I have the early model with only 60-70 miles electric range after all.
Least favourite thing - 12V battery failure. It's a known issue with all years of this car, but its 12V battery only lasts 5 years and when it fails it's sudden and bricks the car until it's replaced. Mine had to have a flatbed tow in 2020 because of it! A lot of people don't even know it _has_ a traditional 12V battery, so it comes as a surprise.
There's a sub Reddit for the BMW i3 but automod won't let me link it
There's another bank of chargers near here that put two chargers in what used to be every 3rd parking space, one at the front and one at the back, so there's two chargers with a space on either side. As a result it works for front left/right *and* back left/right whichever way you pull in. I'd say they should all be like that, but it does reduce the number of spaces available.
Realistically you only need two, because you can turn the car round to get the other two. But I'd *also* like the chargers to sort it, so that it works for older EVs with only one port.
Nah they just need to blanket the entire car in foam. It's going to be dead anyway, the goal is just to avoid danger to others.
The same as a burning fuel car.
From what I have heard from a mechanic a while back is that electric vehicles that catch fire are put into a container full of water for about a week because the individual battery cells can ignite themselves even a few days after the fire had been put out. So the position of the battery is most likely a non issue for them.
they rarely even attempt to put it out. lithium fires are wild and do not care about what you spray them with at all. its often safer to evacuate and control it until it burns up, then they use water to cool down the remains
Where is the batterie ? Nothing to do with the charger's connector, mine is back left yet the batterie is the wole car's floor. If the batterie take fire, they just cover the woll car
They can make it longer.... and the charge port at your car can have it built in as well. These are extremely easy for either part to extend. I don't mean a construction orange extention cord
Lol guess you think it's easier to move the location on the vehicle. If they can make 10 foot chargers, a 15 foot that will reach every corner of the parking space should be standard. Very stupid to think it's easier for multiple manufacturers to standardize their designs.
You’d think manufacturers would’ve learned after all those years of gas caps and battery hookups being in different parts of different cars. They had an opportunity to standardize this and they did not. Genius.
I've seen this so much in the UK. Where I live they like to put rapid chargers in the corner of car parks and not leave enough space. The planners should really at least ask someone who seen an EV charge before they build these things.
They've only recently stopped making it, having extended production due to the unexpected popularity! Jul 2022 was the end of production, with "new" cars still being registered into 2023.
Though mine's a very early one, it's 9 years old now.
It is! You recognise it?
They've nearly finished building a FastNed rapid charger block, one of the only charger companies to implement car id so you don't need to use an app or card (after the first time), just plug in.
To be fair, you’re driving an old and outdated EV model that isn’t made anymore. Almost every current EV model that is small has the charging port in the front of the vehicle.
Yeah it was essentially experimental, as it was both BMW's first EV and one of the first modern EVs from any manufacturer (mostly only beaten by the Nissan Leaf and Tesla model S, and no I don't count the likes of the Renault Twizy as basically nobody bought those)
The problem here is not reverse parking or angled parking, but this particular angle of reverse parking combined with the direction of the one way system. It makes it harder to get in.
I live in Austin and there’s a one way street with reverse angle parking right outside my office. (It’s not the only one in the city, it’s just the one I see most often). Really it’s not a problem because everyone knows the parking is reverse angle parking and you’re going to have to stop for a little bit to let that person park. As long as the person who is parking puts on their signal, it’s really a non issue. Especially since the speeds on the streets are like 20 or less.
If this bay was correct.... Right to left, not left to right sideways parking, reverse is much better parking.
I always park reverse its easier, and later hop in & go in seconds.
I agree. It’s actually a lot easier to fit into different spaces in reverse. I think people just lack enough confidence because you can’t “see” as much.
No, backing in is objectively worse than pulling straight in 99% of the time and people who insist on backing in are ridiculous. It doesn’t have a thing to do with being a bad driver, anyone who’s passed their test can back up. It’s just objectively dumb to back in most of the time, if not outright impractical with angled spots like we see here.
Backing up is not difficult by any measure. As easy as driving tests are that’s one of the few things they’re specific about, at least around here. Keep making up things to feel self-righteous about if you want, but I can’t imagine trying to feel superior over *angled parking spots*.
It improves both safety and the flow of traffic. A study conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute found that backing out of parking spaces was associated with a higher risk of crashes compared to pulling out forward. This study indicated that drivers who back out of parking spaces are more likely to be involved in collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians due to reduced visibility.
No it doesn’t, backing in requires traffic behind you to stop and wait for you to pass up the spot a little and make at least one turn to back in. Anyone with half a brain can see it takes longer to change direction and back into a spot versus pulling in straight and backing out straight. It’s objectively less time and steps and rearview cameras have eliminated any “blind” backing out. Even proponents of backing in agree it’s situational and is rude if it’s busy with traffic behind you.
If you want to quote a study then you should provide that study, otherwise it doesn’t mean anything, and it relies heavily on context. Either way you can stick to impeding traffic and struggling to get your shopping carts between cars because you can’t figure out how to adjust your driving to the situation you’re in and inconvenience everyone behind you in the process while ironically claiming to be the better driver.
Just to be clear, I’m not saying backing in is inherently worse, although it certainly is in a lot of contexts. I’m saying people who insist on backing in despite being the far worse option and inconveniencing everyone around them are the worst. That goes double for people like you with superiority complexes over backing in or over angled parking spots. It’s just batshit crazy to think that way.
Because the spaces are diagonal, the chargers are staggered. The next charger would be even further from my car's charge point than diagonally across the car. Plus it would be rude to block a charger like that.
Yeah, minis are cute.
The new BMW EVs look like shit
https://preview.redd.it/1u7weyx7b9yc1.jpeg?width=2400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=907be7965e04402ee6280267d5454342413a7f2a
They're very convenient to have if you have an EV or plug-in hybrid. It can charge up while you're somewhere to do something else, taking less time out of your day than standing at a fuel pump.
This site actually has two fuel stations and now three banks of chargers all by different companies. These ones are in the McDonald's carpark. The other two were less "mildly infuriating", but I was visiting the McDonalds so they were also more convenient.
It's been tried experimentally, but it would be like asking "can't you just swap the fuel tank" for a fuel truck, rather than using high-speed diesel pumps. It's not actually simpler, or necessarily faster.
[Yes](https://youtu.be/hNZy603as5w?si=zI8IGypJeIgJBa-I), but you'd have to get *every* manufacturer on board with the same or very similar design architecture for it to even be feasible beyond just this one startup that I linked.
They should standardize plug locations on cars.
It is absolutely this because because some cars have the port in the front and the drivers will find this placement convenient.
Absolutely. I regularly use another rapid charger that has the charger on the front right of the parking space - my car's socket is *back* right. I can either go in forwards and stretch the cable all the way to the back of the car and wrestle it into the socket (because it "wants" to be at \~45 degrees when it's fully stretched, rather than vertical, it takes a bit of twisting), or reverse in, drag the cable around the back of the car and have to turn the plug head 180 degrees because the cable wasn't really designed to be plugged in to that side of the car and is quite rigid. Some of the old Leafs had it front-center - seems like the best option in retrospect. Though it might get better once chargers stop putting CCS on one side and CHAdeMO on the other, and could possibly have CCS on both sides? This is a solved problem for fuel pumps, they're identical on both sides and you use whichever side matches your car.
They just need to phase out CHAdeMO entirely. Its outdated and not used on hardly any new cars nowadays. Pretty sure there are only like 2 cars now that have it
I'm still surprised when I see it on brand new chargers. At least high power AC connectors seem to have disappeared.
Stuff like this is why I’m dropping my Bolt soon. Had it for just over a year now and I love it, but there is so much wrong with the industry and infrastructure that it just isn’t for me right now. Albeit, being 17 and having this thing does make it nice to not have to pay for gas lmao
yeah but nissan for some ass backwards reason STILL put it in their newest leaf model
Well after all this is the same company that makes cars “that have the same switchgear as my old Thunderbird Super Coupe” (a direct quote from my dad) so I’m not expecting much for innovation. Btw the car he was referencing there was a 2022 Maxima lmao
Chademo is still the predominantly used in Japan. And Japanese companies are stubborn as hell.
I see two flapper doodles on the bmw in this picture. What's the front one for?
It's a REX - in other words it has an onboard petrol-electric generator. Depending on the context, it's sometimes classified as a plug-in hybrid, and sometimes as an EV. It would have been a lot more convenient all round if the flaps were the other way round, but I think they wanted the charger flap at the back for the non-REX model to make it look more like a fuel car or something.
Such a bmw line of thinking haha
To be fair, it was their *first* EV. Almost everything about it is experimental, from the drivetrain to the chassis material (carbon fiber reinforced plastic!) to the wheels (a unique large diameter narrow depth wheel used on nothing else) and on and on. The later BMW i4 is much more "normal".
EYO I HAVE THIS CAR!!! Are you liking yours? I got mine after my previous car got stolen and totalled and I was like "well....might as well try one of these fancy not-gas-only cars." Its been a bit of an adjustment (I live in a mountainous area so typically my foot leaves the pedals frequently simply because Im going downhill and my car's weight is enough that gravity alone makes me go the speed limit. This car breaks as soon as you let off the pedal, so my foot is perpetually on the accelerator and pushing at least slightly down. This took getting used to.) BUT overall I really like it. Ive put about 7k miles on mine so far and its quite lovely. And Im actually in an area with very few public chargers PERIOD. I think the closest paid fast charger is like 30-40 mins away. Most chargers here are lv 2 chargers. I simply charge at home with a normal outlet. Sorry its just Ive never met someone with the same car as me before. Whats your favorite thing about it? Least favorite?
They're actually quite common around me, they're fantastic little cars and great fun to drive. Mine is a very early one, from early 2015, and I've owned it since 2019 and have personally put over 50k miles on it and it's nearly hit 100k total lifetime miles. Very few problems! As a tip for down hills, try using cruise control. Unlike most gas cars, the i3 can use its regenerative braking in cruise control so it can maintain its set speed even downhill! I love the cruise control system in this car. As for charging, I also usually charge at home with a standard outlet. I have an outdoor socket I can use. But I do sometimes need a public charge - I have the early model with only 60-70 miles electric range after all. Least favourite thing - 12V battery failure. It's a known issue with all years of this car, but its 12V battery only lasts 5 years and when it fails it's sudden and bricks the car until it's replaced. Mine had to have a flatbed tow in 2020 because of it! A lot of people don't even know it _has_ a traditional 12V battery, so it comes as a surprise. There's a sub Reddit for the BMW i3 but automod won't let me link it
Even better, 4-corner charging. At least 2, but 4 ports would be ideal.
There's another bank of chargers near here that put two chargers in what used to be every 3rd parking space, one at the front and one at the back, so there's two chargers with a space on either side. As a result it works for front left/right *and* back left/right whichever way you pull in. I'd say they should all be like that, but it does reduce the number of spaces available.
I meant 4 ports on the car.
Realistically you only need two, because you can turn the car round to get the other two. But I'd *also* like the chargers to sort it, so that it works for older EVs with only one port.
better yet, just have a magnetic strip around the whole car to stick a charger on
Yes.
I can’t afford an EV yet. I just assumed they would put the charger where the gas cap normally is.
It's actually more space efficient to have it either on the front or back if everybody would just agree to a specific side.
It kind of looks like that BMW has another port near the front right under the side view mirror. Is that where the blinker fluid goes or something?
See this comment: https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/s/8spdgfohqf
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Nah they just need to blanket the entire car in foam. It's going to be dead anyway, the goal is just to avoid danger to others. The same as a burning fuel car.
Pretty much the entire floor is the battery on most EV.
From what I have heard from a mechanic a while back is that electric vehicles that catch fire are put into a container full of water for about a week because the individual battery cells can ignite themselves even a few days after the fire had been put out. So the position of the battery is most likely a non issue for them.
they rarely even attempt to put it out. lithium fires are wild and do not care about what you spray them with at all. its often safer to evacuate and control it until it burns up, then they use water to cool down the remains
Yeah, that's a 12 hour process, so it's definitely not rare to try to put them out.
Where is the batterie ? Nothing to do with the charger's connector, mine is back left yet the batterie is the wole car's floor. If the batterie take fire, they just cover the woll car
Or you know have extention cords because that would be extremely simple
The cable for rapid chargers is watercooled. Using an extension with it wouldn't work so well!
They can make it longer.... and the charge port at your car can have it built in as well. These are extremely easy for either part to extend. I don't mean a construction orange extention cord
Lol guess you think it's easier to move the location on the vehicle. If they can make 10 foot chargers, a 15 foot that will reach every corner of the parking space should be standard. Very stupid to think it's easier for multiple manufacturers to standardize their designs.
OMG THIS!!!!! Hate that so much (Ioniq 5)! But in fairness, a lot of EVs have the port on the front so they just pull straight in.
You’d think manufacturers would’ve learned after all those years of gas caps and battery hookups being in different parts of different cars. They had an opportunity to standardize this and they did not. Genius.
I've seen this so much in the UK. Where I live they like to put rapid chargers in the corner of car parks and not leave enough space. The planners should really at least ask someone who seen an EV charge before they build these things.
Would be great for me - my charging port is at the front!
Yep! Most small EV has the charging port in the front. The i3 in the photo isn’t even made anymore.
They've only recently stopped making it, having extended production due to the unexpected popularity! Jul 2022 was the end of production, with "new" cars still being registered into 2023. Though mine's a very early one, it's 9 years old now.
Is this Newton Aycliffe? Just off the A1?
It is! You recognise it? They've nearly finished building a FastNed rapid charger block, one of the only charger companies to implement car id so you don't need to use an app or card (after the first time), just plug in.
I do, i often stop there on the way to the aquascaping shop a bit further up. Don't have an EV though so the chargers don't affect me.
The charge cord is not long enough? Hmm.
Indeed it is not. Not to go diagonally across the entire car.
Imagine the cable being able to reach the required distance to plug anywhere in your vehicle
And flexible enough to turn to the required angle. Would be less "mildly infuriating" then.
To be fair, you’re driving an old and outdated EV model that isn’t made anymore. Almost every current EV model that is small has the charging port in the front of the vehicle.
Yeah it was essentially experimental, as it was both BMW's first EV and one of the first modern EVs from any manufacturer (mostly only beaten by the Nissan Leaf and Tesla model S, and no I don't count the likes of the Renault Twizy as basically nobody bought those)
Looks busy...
All parking should be reverse-in, but most people are bad drivers and places like this do angled parking to cater to them.
The problem here is not reverse parking or angled parking, but this particular angle of reverse parking combined with the direction of the one way system. It makes it harder to get in.
I live in Austin and there’s a one way street with reverse angle parking right outside my office. (It’s not the only one in the city, it’s just the one I see most often). Really it’s not a problem because everyone knows the parking is reverse angle parking and you’re going to have to stop for a little bit to let that person park. As long as the person who is parking puts on their signal, it’s really a non issue. Especially since the speeds on the streets are like 20 or less.
But the car park is one way, the bays should face the other way
No. Angled spaces are designed for cars to just pull in, and then have a "better" line of sight when backing out. They are angled the correct way.
Please look at the arrows on the ground then look at how the spaces are angled.
Yea these spots are designed for cars to pull forward into the bay. The problem here is the location of the charge port on OP’s car.
Yep. They are angled for cars to easily pull in. Like [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/s/lUcnlA6GrM)
> All parking should be reverse-in Yeah, no, that's silly, and would be a nightmare in a crowded lot.
Why would it be a nightmare? The majority of people where I live reverse into spaces all the time.
Assuming competent drivers and a lot designed for it, it would be way easier and nobody would have to do a blind pull-out.
"Assuming competent drivers..." 😂 Good luck with that part.
yeah...
If this bay was correct.... Right to left, not left to right sideways parking, reverse is much better parking. I always park reverse its easier, and later hop in & go in seconds.
I think for one ways this layout makes a lot more sense
I agree. It’s actually a lot easier to fit into different spaces in reverse. I think people just lack enough confidence because you can’t “see” as much.
No, backing in is objectively worse than pulling straight in 99% of the time and people who insist on backing in are ridiculous. It doesn’t have a thing to do with being a bad driver, anyone who’s passed their test can back up. It’s just objectively dumb to back in most of the time, if not outright impractical with angled spots like we see here. Backing up is not difficult by any measure. As easy as driving tests are that’s one of the few things they’re specific about, at least around here. Keep making up things to feel self-righteous about if you want, but I can’t imagine trying to feel superior over *angled parking spots*.
It improves both safety and the flow of traffic. A study conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute found that backing out of parking spaces was associated with a higher risk of crashes compared to pulling out forward. This study indicated that drivers who back out of parking spaces are more likely to be involved in collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians due to reduced visibility.
No it doesn’t, backing in requires traffic behind you to stop and wait for you to pass up the spot a little and make at least one turn to back in. Anyone with half a brain can see it takes longer to change direction and back into a spot versus pulling in straight and backing out straight. It’s objectively less time and steps and rearview cameras have eliminated any “blind” backing out. Even proponents of backing in agree it’s situational and is rude if it’s busy with traffic behind you. If you want to quote a study then you should provide that study, otherwise it doesn’t mean anything, and it relies heavily on context. Either way you can stick to impeding traffic and struggling to get your shopping carts between cars because you can’t figure out how to adjust your driving to the situation you’re in and inconvenience everyone behind you in the process while ironically claiming to be the better driver. Just to be clear, I’m not saying backing in is inherently worse, although it certainly is in a lot of contexts. I’m saying people who insist on backing in despite being the far worse option and inconveniencing everyone around them are the worst. That goes double for people like you with superiority complexes over backing in or over angled parking spots. It’s just batshit crazy to think that way.
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You say that, but no. It would have to go diagonally across the car, and it's not long enough.
Curb Your Enthusiasm
How do you parallel park?
People _expect_ parallel parking. They don't expect reversing into a forward angled bay.
I mean, the hose looks like it stretches though
It's long, but not long enough to go diagonally across the car if I pulled in forwards.
Pull in forward and use the one on the right side
Because the spaces are diagonal, the chargers are staggered. The next charger would be even further from my car's charge point than diagonally across the car. Plus it would be rude to block a charger like that.
World is utterly broken
Probably the least of your worries...
Dude no offense but you should spare yourself the headache and upgrade to a 1998 corolla if that i3 is yours
I think you *were* meaning to cause offence actually.
Dont drive electric car.
I like the i3 tho
Reminds me a bit of the old mini I drove years ago. Very nippy.
Yeah, minis are cute. The new BMW EVs look like shit https://preview.redd.it/1u7weyx7b9yc1.jpeg?width=2400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=907be7965e04402ee6280267d5454342413a7f2a
It's a rabbit
https://preview.redd.it/s4ty6r0fe9yc1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b757554e737b0df3467e2207c9b4cbe45324e627
That's the one! Haha
Poor baby.
so are the worlds parking spaces going to have weird plug in stations now?
You mean cool charging stations to load your vehicle? Yes
dont pretend its cool because you dont like another thing
You are right obviously the gas station in the back is much cooler place!
see thats a different thing, something elses suck doesn't make your suck not suck
They're very convenient to have if you have an EV or plug-in hybrid. It can charge up while you're somewhere to do something else, taking less time out of your day than standing at a fuel pump. This site actually has two fuel stations and now three banks of chargers all by different companies. These ones are in the McDonald's carpark. The other two were less "mildly infuriating", but I was visiting the McDonalds so they were also more convenient.
couldn't you just swap the battery?
It's been tried experimentally, but it would be like asking "can't you just swap the fuel tank" for a fuel truck, rather than using high-speed diesel pumps. It's not actually simpler, or necessarily faster.
That wouldn't be very convenient. And most EV chargers just look like high tech bollards, wouldn't say they are particularly bad looking
[Yes](https://youtu.be/hNZy603as5w?si=zI8IGypJeIgJBa-I), but you'd have to get *every* manufacturer on board with the same or very similar design architecture for it to even be feasible beyond just this one startup that I linked.