EVgo today announced price drops, a simpler scheme and longer charge windows to “the nation’s largest network of public electric vehicle (EV) DC Fast charging stations”. EVgo says that the new rates match or beat gasoline on a per mile basis and the new service will be a boon for apartment dwellers and current/prospective EV buyers who need to take trips outside of their EV range. However, there are some important details to consider.
Cathy Zoi, CEO of EVgo notes that “the growth rate in the EV sector has been truly explosive over the last year, and EVgo is pleased to help accelerate EV adoption with a lower cost charging plan for our customers. EVgo is already the market leader in fast charging, and demand for more public DC Fast charging solutions is only continuing to grow as battery capacities increase and EVs grow in popularity. In 2017, EV sales in the U.S. were up 26 percent, and in that same time period, EVgo’s energy delivered across its network increased by more than 80 percent. EV owners are discovering the ease and convenience of fast charging while they shop for groceries, enjoy a coffee break, or get their daily steps in.”
The new pricing plans look like the below with details listed in the press release at the bottom. Here are some caveats:
- The Pay as you go $.20 per minute ($12/hour) rate and the member $.15/minute ($9/hour) is only available to California customers. The rest of the US will pay $.25-$-$.35 per minute. That’s $15-21/hour.
- Session fees have been eliminated (my biggest gripe) and the plans have gone from 4 to 2. Sessions now last 45 minutes or 1 hour for members between 8pm and 6am.
Electrek’s Take:
I’ve used EVgo for 5 years for both my Tesla (via CHAdeMO adapter) and Chevy Bolt. Besides the app launch last year, this is the biggest and best news I’ve gotten from them. EVgo is absolutely 100% improving but there are still some issues to consider:
- EVgo charges by the minute and you will get a variable rate of charge. Their infrastructure is almost completely 50kW charging stations but you will hardly ever even approach 50kW charging, even under perfect conditions. That means if your battery is:
a. Cold
b. Significantly charged already
c. Sharing the charger with others
…you’ll see a reduced rate without any drop in price. I’ve seen charge rates below 20kW on cold days and yes, you are charged the same rate as normal no matter what speed you get. I understand that some states mandate that charging stations bill by time but there has to be middle ground, at least in states where EVgo can bill by the Watt-hour. How about a surcharge of $.10/kWh to what EVgo pays? That would keep similar pricing/margins but not penalize people who get a slow charge, often out of their control. - Charging time limits are bad for big battery cars. 45 minutes or 60 minutes for members during non-peak hours are certainly an improvement over the 30 minute limit previously imposed (I would typically have to initiate charge 2-3 times with my Chevy Bolt or Tesla) but even an hour under ideal circumstances is only going to deliver 50kWh or not even a full charge to a Chevy Bolt EV. Realistically you are going to need at least 2 separate 45 minute charges to fill up a Bolt or any vehicle with a 200 mile range. EVgo did do a solid by eliminating session fees which would often pile up, especially when you had to initiate a new session every 30 minutes.
- EVgo likes to say they are the biggest network but they aren’t nearly as big as Tesla’s Supercharging network. I happen to use them in Vermont (Bennington and Manchester) where Tesla hasn’t yet decided to install chargers. Point is, Tesla owners likely won’t ever need the membership plan. If you own a Chevy Bolt or moderate battery EVs, you may want to consider it. EVgo notes that 1 charge a month will likely offset the $10 but my math doesn’t quite get me there.
- 50kW isn’t going to replace gasoline for most people on long trips. Realistically, that means you will often have to stop every 2 hours of driving to charge for an hour. EVgo and others need to step up their game to 150kW minimum.
- EVgo’s map below shows that while they do have an impressive amount of stations especially in the northeast and in California, there are some big gaps that will prevent users from going cross country or even going from Los Angeles to Phoenix for instance. This is the advantage Tesla has over 3rd party networks: 3rd party networks are profit centers and are only placed in populated areas while Tesla’s superchargers are located in often remote places to get you across the country.
Overall, this is a big win for EV enthusiasts, and particularly folks who don’t have home access to a charger or travel long distances outside the vehicles range. Ii is now easier and cheaper to own an EV.
/PRNewswire/ — EVgo, the nation’s largest network of public electric vehicle (EV) DC Fast charging stations, today announced simplified and lowered pricing that goes into effect immediately. These prices lower the overall cost of EV ownership across the country and open the market to more drivers than ever before. The new simplified pricing includes two options: a new Pay As You Go rate with a low per-minute rate and no additional session fees, as well as a $9.99/month Membership option, providing EVgo’s lowest per-minute rate. Moreover, charging session time limits have been extended to allow new longer-range EVs to go the extra distance with just one fast charge session. “The growth rate in the EV sector has been truly explosive over the last year, and EVgo is pleased to help accelerate EV adoption with a lower cost charging plan for our customers,” said Cathy Zoi, CEO of EVgo. “EVgo is already the market leader in fast charging, and demand for more public DC Fast charging solutions is only continuing to grow as battery capacities increase and EVs grow in popularity.” In 2017, EV sales in the U.S. were up 26 percent, and in that same time period, EVgo’s energy delivered across its network increased by more than 80 percent. EV owners are discovering the ease and convenience of fast charging while they shop for groceries, enjoy a coffee break, or get their daily steps in. EVgo’s new lower pricing will vary by region. Membership pricing is between $0.15 and $0.21 per minute, depending on the state, which is about as cheap or cheaper than the average gas-powered vehicle on a per-mile basis. This is not only good news for existing fast charging customers, but a major development for potential EV drivers without access to charging at home or work. Apartment dwellers and drivers of all types of EVs can take advantage of the nation-leading EVgo fast charging network of more than 1,000 fast chargers across 66 markets. By reducing charging costs, EVgo has helped to further reduce the total cost of ownership for electric vehicles, another important selling point for first-time EV buyers. With EVgo’s new Membership plan, EV drivers pay only $9.99/month to unlock the lowest per-minute rate. Unlike previous monthly fees, this $9.99 acts as a pre-paid credit that is simply applied towards charging activity for that month. Members pay between $0.18 and $0.21 per minute depending on charger location, and through June 2018, EVgo will offer a special promotional rate for chargers located in California of $0.15/minute for members. Additionally, members can charge for up to 60 minutes during off-peak hours (charges initiating between 8:00pm-5:59am) and 45 minutes during the daytime—a heavily requested feature from drivers of longer-range EVs like the Chevrolet Bolt. EVgo Membership customers are not subject to any setup fees, flat session fees, or termination fees. There are no contracts, and EVgo Members can cancel at any time. For drivers who fast charge more than once a month, the plan pays for itself. With the Pay As You Go rate there is no monthly commitment, and no session fee (which was a component of EVgo’s former “Flex” plan)—customers only pay a simple per-minute rate of between $0.25 and $0.35 per minute depending on state, and through June 2018, EVgo will offer a special promotional rate for chargers located in California of $0.20/minute for Pay As You Go customers. Charging time has also been extended to 45 minutes at all times for Pay As You Go customers as well. These new pricing plans provide savings and convenience to EV drivers across the country. For example, a Pay As You Go customer in Maryland who charges three times per month in 30-minute increments will save over 30 percent per month over the old “Flex” plan, and a Membership driver would save just over 50 percent. Thanks to the current California promotional rates, a customer in California who charges five times per month for 30 minutes on the Pay As You Go plan will save 45 percent over previous Flex pricing, while the new Membership rate will save almost 60 percent. Furthermore, EVgo has also simplified the sign-up process so new customers can start charging within minutes. Registration for Pay As You Go or Membership is simple at EVgo.com or by using the EVgo app, available on iOS and Android. Customers can initiate a charge directly from the app with no RFID cards necessary. With EV sales at an all-time high in 2017 and more advanced, new EV models on the horizon than ever before, EVgo is answering the call for affordable, convenient public fast charging throughout the US. EVgo’s new pricing options simplify and dramatically reduce the cost of delivering convenient fast charging to EV owners of all types, lowering the overall cost of EV ownership with prices equivalent to or lower than the cost of gasoline – a huge benefit for those who fast charge often while going about their daily tasks or travel long distances. For information regarding EVgo’s new charging plans and specific regional pricing, visit EVgo.com. About EVgo EVgo saw a record year in 2017, with its network of chargers providing the equivalent 40 million miles of emissions-free electric driving, a dramatic year-over-year increase compared to the approximately 26 million EV miles charged by the network in 2016. EVgo offers a variety of flexible pricing options for drivers including Pay As You Go and low-cost Membership options, as well as complimentary charging plans for buyers of new vehicles from partner automakers, including BMW and Nissan.
EVgo is America’s Largest Public Fast Charging Network. EVgo’s network extends EV infrastructure and allows EV drivers to travel further than any other public network in the US, with over 1,000 chargers in 66 metropolitan markets. The company is able to provide exemplary service by maintaining and operating its charging stations. Each month, EVgo provides over 100,000 charges to over 65,000 EV drivers. EVgo’s fast chargers deliver convenient, fast charges to EV drivers on the go, at a rate approximately eight times faster than a conventional Level 2 charger and are compatible with all EV models currently on the market that accept DC Fast Charging.
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