Amazon’s ‘practical joke’: a fake EV-charging port for $22.99

Amazon calls it a ‘practical joke’ but sells it online: “the ultimate gag gift for car enthusiasts and pranksters alike” who like to park their gas-guzzling pickup truck on a free parking spot at an EV charger. In the US, this practice is called ‘ICEing,’ referring to the car’s internal combustion engine (ICE).

The $22.99 (€21.8) ‘PrankPort’ attaches to any metal surface with solid neodymium magnets, so it looks like you have your diesel truck ‘converted.’ “Whether it’s for a practical joke or a fun social media stunt, PrankPort will have everyone fooled! Great gift for Dads, Truck Owners, EV Haters, and those who like to joke around and be bold,” Amazon advertises.

In two flavors

The PrankPort comes in two versions: the Tesla standard and the J1772 port, a J plug, or the Type 1 connector, a North American standard. In Europe, the CCS2/Type 2 Mennekes plug is the standard. So it won’t fit here on the Old Continent.

However, even in America, don’t try to plug in a charging cable. Amazon warns, “PrankPort is a gag gift and is not intended to hold the weight of a charging cable. The embedded magnets will securely attach the device to your vehicle’s metal surfaces, but the device is not designed to support the cable’s weight when plugged in.”

Fines up to €95

Too bad for European pranksters hoping to claim a free parking spot at an EV charger. Your practical joke may have an expensive aftertaste in most European countries.

Often, it is forbidden by law to keep an EV-charging place occupied with an ICE car, except for plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Your 21.8-euro joke might trigger a €58 to €95 parking fine, depending on the local regulations.

In Belgium, according to the Highway Code (article 70.2.1, 3°, h), a parking space reserved for electric vehicles (e.g., at charging stations) must be indicated by a traffic sign E9a ‘parking allowed’ (a blue sign with a white P) with a sign below it showing the symbol of a plug or a text clarifying it’s only to be used by rechargeable electric vehicles. And that excludes classic hybrids.