An irate motorist has lashed out at the Tesla owner who parked his electric car near a petrol tank, forcing the driver to wait to refuel.
A Reddit user uploaded a photo of the motorist on Friday showing the driver and his white Tesla at the combustion engine bowser in Menai, in Sydney’s south.
“That bastard parked at the gas pump in his Tesla to go in and buy a car wash,” the motorist wrote on social media.
The post attracted hundreds of comments from users who said the driver of the electric car should have parked somewhere else.
“If it’s busy enough (and) there’s no parking space available, you really should find another servo or park on a side street and walk,” said one user.
A Tesla EV owner has angered a motorist after the driver took over a space (pictured) at an internal combustion car park in Sydney
“(The driver is) an idiot for taking up space,” wrote another.
“Throw them to the wolves!” another poster encouraged.
However, others believe that motorists should be able to park on site and that motorists have the right to use a petrol station, regardless of the car they drive.
“I do it all the time when the parking lots are full. I’m still a customer coming to buy something,” said one user.
Some criticized owners of non-EV cars for taking up space at bowsers.
“If some bogan P (plater) had done this in his rigged Ranger, no one would have even taken a picture of it,” one user wrote.
‘An EV driver goes in for 1 minute and suddenly it’s a national shame.’
Tesla vehicles are powered by batteries that provide electrical current to produce energy for the car to function properly.
The energy stored in a Tesla vehicle’s battery is used to power a small motor inside the car that generates the power to propel the vehicle.
An electric vehicle being charged at an EV charging station (stock image)
Drivers in several Australian states and territories could be fined thousands of dollars if they park in spaces specifically designated for electric cars.
The term ICE-ing refers to cars with combustion engines (which require fuel to drive) parking in EV spaces.
Motorists in the ACT and Queensland face the highest fines for parking incorrectly in an EV space, with motorists in the Sunshine State facing a fine of up to 20 penalty units worth $2,875.
Motorists who park their petrol and diesel cars in areas specifically designated for electric cars (stock image of a car parked in an EV charging area) are facing hefty fines in several Australian states and territories