The smart bays’ sensors are capable of detecting the presence of parked vehicles, and whether they are charging

Smart electric vehicle (EV) charging bays could soon be issuing fines of up to £70 to drivers misusing the spaces — such as by parking diesel or petrol cars in them.

Built by London-based AppyWay, the smart bays’ sensors are capable of detecting the presence of parked vehicles — which can be compared with charging port use.

For now, the tech is being used to allow local authorities to understand bay usage and help EV drivers find vacant charging ports via the ‘AppyParking’ app.

However, Coventry council is said to be considering using the data to crack down on so-called ‘ICEing’ — when bays are blocked by internal combustion engine vehicles.

We are not using them for enforcement currently but the potential is there for the sensors to inform enforcement officers of bay misuse in the future, a spokesperson for Coventry council told the Times.

The system works through the installation of a sensor within the tarmac underneath the charging bay which can detect whether any vehicle — whether electric- or fossil fuel-powered — has parked in the space.

This information can then be cross-referenced with data on the activity of the charging station itself to determine whether the bay is being used for its intended purpose — or for illegal parking.

AppyWay — whose app provides information on parking space locations in some 400 towns and cities across the UK — has also already installed the sensor system in electric charging bays in both Harrogate and Halifax.

The sensors are also being used to monitor the use of disabled parking spaces within the City of London.