Photo: Electrify America
Electrify America is raising prices. Charging your electric vehicle (EV) using this network will cost up to 25% more. The zero-tailpipe emission lifestyle is starting to cost as much as gearheads pay to fill up their fossil fuel-powered vehicles, if not more. Here’s the gist of it.
Electrify America (EA) has notified its customers that it’s going to apply a price hike from March 6. The VW-owned company explains in the electronic letter that is doing this because of “rising operational and energy costs.” But even after making its high-power chargers more expensive for occasional customers and those that pay a monthly subscription, EA confirmed it’s not going to change its uniform pricing policy. So, you’ll know in advance what the cost of replenishing your vehicle’s energy storage unit is.
However, charging prices vary in many states because the law prohibits charging networks like Electrify America from acting as official, regulated utility companies. But instead of giving up on these states or paying for lobbying, EA found a clever loophole – it allows people to rent the time spent plugged in. And, in some situations, this pricing policy is worse for the consumers.
Arguably, EV owners charging where the pricing is done by the minute have to pay more than those who enjoy the per-kWh policy. For example, charging an EV from 5% or 10% takes very little to 80% while at a 350-kW charger. But after the battery is 80% done, you may want to wait until it’s full because there might be a long journey ahead.
The power rate at which energy is extracted by your vehicle decreases considerably after 80%, which automatically translates into staying plugged in longer, hence why you’ll have to pay more than someone in another state who benefits from the price per kWh.
But, in some states, this is unavoidable. And so is Electrify America’s hike planned for next month.
For example, starting March 6, EA customers without a Pass+ subscription will pay:
So, we’re looking at hikes of around 12% to almost 19%.
Electrify America users who pay the unchanged fee of $4 per month for the Pass+ will see the following numbers displayed:
So, for EA subscribers, prices are rising by around 16% and going all the way up to 25%.
It's worth knowing that the national average price for one kWh was $0.16 in December 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It represents a year-over-year increase of $0.02, or 14%. Can EVGO or Tesla's Magic Dock-equipped Superchargers become an alternative now?
However, charging prices vary in many states because the law prohibits charging networks like Electrify America from acting as official, regulated utility companies. But instead of giving up on these states or paying for lobbying, EA found a clever loophole – it allows people to rent the time spent plugged in. And, in some situations, this pricing policy is worse for the consumers.
Arguably, EV owners charging where the pricing is done by the minute have to pay more than those who enjoy the per-kWh policy. For example, charging an EV from 5% or 10% takes very little to 80% while at a 350-kW charger. But after the battery is 80% done, you may want to wait until it’s full because there might be a long journey ahead.
The power rate at which energy is extracted by your vehicle decreases considerably after 80%, which automatically translates into staying plugged in longer, hence why you’ll have to pay more than someone in another state who benefits from the price per kWh.
But, in some states, this is unavoidable. And so is Electrify America’s hike planned for next month.
For example, starting March 6, EA customers without a Pass+ subscription will pay:
- $0.48 per kWh (was $0.43);
- $0.19 per minute for 90-kW chargers (was $0.16);
- $0.37 per minute for up to 350-kW chargers (was $0.32).
So, we’re looking at hikes of around 12% to almost 19%.
Electrify America users who pay the unchanged fee of $4 per month for the Pass+ will see the following numbers displayed:
- $0.36 per kWh (was $0.31);
- $0.15 per minute for up to 90-kW chargers (was $0.12);
- $0.29 per minute for up to 350-kW chargers (was $0.24).
So, for EA subscribers, prices are rising by around 16% and going all the way up to 25%.
It's worth knowing that the national average price for one kWh was $0.16 in December 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It represents a year-over-year increase of $0.02, or 14%. Can EVGO or Tesla's Magic Dock-equipped Superchargers become an alternative now?
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