The Route to Accessible EVs #9
2
2
Date of visit: May 2026
Overall Rating
Poor
This charging station is located in a hotel car park beside the Holiday Inn Barcelona - Sant Cugat. The area feels generally okay and you can easily visit the hotel if you get stuck. Although the chargers are visible they are not well overlooked. This location was not our initial choice for charging, but served as our Plan C. Our primary stop featured chargers that were completely taped up and non-operational, and our Plan B stop at a local Lidl had an occupied rapid bay, with the second bay stuck at an unsuccessful and highly restrictive 25 kW charge rate. In contrast, the Holiday Inn next door was excellent, featuring great staff and welcoming people, where we were able to enjoy our breakfast. We used a ETECNIC device at this location.
Disabled Access In and Around
The charging spaces are not designated or marked as accessible bays for disabled drivers, and none of them meet PAS 1899 requirements. There are no standalone signs directing you to the chargers from the main road, but they clearly appear to be part of the hotel property. The structural layout lacks dedicated accessible design elements. An EV sign printed directly on the ground. Low-level obstacles are present in the form of bollards, but they are positioned so that they do not obstruct access to the charger itself. A minimum clearance space of 1200 mm from the charge unit to the vehicle socket point is maintained, and components can be comfortably reached within a maximum of 220 mm. While the hardware is positioned so that components are visible and easy to reach, the layout does not accommodate a standard rear or side wheelchair access zone. However, there is one alternative bay marked parallel to the carriageway that could potentially be suitable for easier side access.
Parking & Transport
There are 4 bays in total at this location. When we arrived, none of the other bays were being used for active charging, though one was being occupied purely by a parked vehicle. The chargers are operated by ETECNIC and present a massive speed contradiction: the platform displays 200 kW on the phone app but lists only 100 kW on the hardware interface screen itself. Our charging session started at 30% battery capacity and reached 100% over 1 hour and 5 minutes. The payment type used was app, and the units also accept RFID/charge cards. The software caused distinct complications with the payment process, taking a frustrating 20 minutes to resolve and initiate. The interface supports roughly nine common European languages, explicitly including English, French, Spanish and German. The charger has its own tethered cable and connector, which provides sufficient length to easily accommodate a range of parking positions alongside proper cable management to avoid trip hazards. The cable connector handle weighs 2.87 kg and was straightforward to manipulate.
Accessible facilities: Electric Vehicle Charging
Accessible Toilets
There are no dedicated public facilities right next to the chargers out in the car park, but the main public building facilities and toilets are available nearby inside the Holiday Inn building.
Additional Information
There is no standalone help point or assistance option at the chargers, but the adjacent hotel staff are nearby if support is required. The site features overhead lighting for night use, but there is no structural shelter or canopy provided over the charging station.
