Ecotricity to start charging for charging
Discussion
It had to happen sometime I suppose
£5 for 20 mins charging
Just got the email
I’m writing to you as a member of the Electric Highway to let you know of a significant change to our service.
After five years of providing charging for free, we’re moving to a ‘charging for charging’ model.
When we began in July 2011, there was a bit of a chicken and egg situation – people were reluctant to buy electric cars because there were no charging facilities being built, but nobody wanted to build those facilities while there were still so few cars on the road. That’s when we jumped in to help kickstart the electric car revolution in Britain.
And that’s going pretty well: today there are over 40 models to choose from and 64,000 plug-ins on the road. The Electric Highway itself comprises almost 300 electricity pumps – of the fast charging variety.
The combination of more cars on the road and faster charging means we're now delivering two million miles of clean driving each month – all powered from the wind and sun. That’s a great result. It’s also a growing cost. And to keep pace with demand, we need to build more electricity pumps – at existing and new locations.
So the time has come for us to charge – for charging.
We’ve taken a lot of feedback from EV drivers in order to arrive at the right pricing model. We’ve decided that a simple flat fee of a fiver for a 20 minute fast charge strikes the right balance.
Here’s how it will all work and when it will all happen
First, we’ve created an Electric Highway app. You’ll need this app to use our pumps once we’ve changed over to the ‘charging for charging’ model.
The app will have other features that you’ll find useful. It will show you a live feed of our entire network so you can see the location and availability of your nearest pump, making it easier for you to plan your journeys. You’ll be able to track the progress of your charge with the app’s charging countdown, and there’ll be other features coming in the future.
The transition to ‘charging for charging’ will require a hardware upgrade of each pump. We’ll start that work on Monday 11 July and we’re aiming to have the entire network finished by Friday 5 August.
During this transition period, you’ll need the app for some pumps and your swipe card for others. The app itself will tell you which pumps have switched over to the new charging model.
Once the work is complete, our entire network will only be usable through the Electric Highway app.
We’ve updated the FAQs on the Ecotricity website to provide more information, should you need it.
I hope this is all clear and that you’ll understand our need to finally move to ‘charging for charging’ – it’s the next vital step in the evolution of the Electric Highway and it will allow us to continue to reinvest in improving and expanding the network.
Viva the EV revolution
Thanks for being with us.
Dale Vince
P.S. Nearly forgot ... the Electric Highway will still be free to use for Ecotricity energy customers – so if you’re not already a customer, now is a pretty good time to switch. You’ll not only get free use of the Electric Highway, we’ll give you a discount on your energy just for having an electric car.
It is on the website too https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/for-the-road
£5 for 20 mins charging
Just got the email
I’m writing to you as a member of the Electric Highway to let you know of a significant change to our service.
After five years of providing charging for free, we’re moving to a ‘charging for charging’ model.
When we began in July 2011, there was a bit of a chicken and egg situation – people were reluctant to buy electric cars because there were no charging facilities being built, but nobody wanted to build those facilities while there were still so few cars on the road. That’s when we jumped in to help kickstart the electric car revolution in Britain.
And that’s going pretty well: today there are over 40 models to choose from and 64,000 plug-ins on the road. The Electric Highway itself comprises almost 300 electricity pumps – of the fast charging variety.
The combination of more cars on the road and faster charging means we're now delivering two million miles of clean driving each month – all powered from the wind and sun. That’s a great result. It’s also a growing cost. And to keep pace with demand, we need to build more electricity pumps – at existing and new locations.
So the time has come for us to charge – for charging.
We’ve taken a lot of feedback from EV drivers in order to arrive at the right pricing model. We’ve decided that a simple flat fee of a fiver for a 20 minute fast charge strikes the right balance.
Here’s how it will all work and when it will all happen
First, we’ve created an Electric Highway app. You’ll need this app to use our pumps once we’ve changed over to the ‘charging for charging’ model.
The app will have other features that you’ll find useful. It will show you a live feed of our entire network so you can see the location and availability of your nearest pump, making it easier for you to plan your journeys. You’ll be able to track the progress of your charge with the app’s charging countdown, and there’ll be other features coming in the future.
The transition to ‘charging for charging’ will require a hardware upgrade of each pump. We’ll start that work on Monday 11 July and we’re aiming to have the entire network finished by Friday 5 August.
During this transition period, you’ll need the app for some pumps and your swipe card for others. The app itself will tell you which pumps have switched over to the new charging model.
Once the work is complete, our entire network will only be usable through the Electric Highway app.
We’ve updated the FAQs on the Ecotricity website to provide more information, should you need it.
I hope this is all clear and that you’ll understand our need to finally move to ‘charging for charging’ – it’s the next vital step in the evolution of the Electric Highway and it will allow us to continue to reinvest in improving and expanding the network.
Viva the EV revolution
Thanks for being with us.
Dale Vince
P.S. Nearly forgot ... the Electric Highway will still be free to use for Ecotricity energy customers – so if you’re not already a customer, now is a pretty good time to switch. You’ll not only get free use of the Electric Highway, we’ll give you a discount on your energy just for having an electric car.
It is on the website too https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/for-the-road
Switching to ecotricity for your home leccy will give you free access to the charging network which isn't a bad deal, especially if you use them reasonably often.
The good points are when they start charging (excuse the pun)
1, They are likely to be more reliable
2, No subscription to pay unlike some of the networks.
3, Hopefully we'll see an expanded network.
The good points are when they start charging (excuse the pun)
1, They are likely to be more reliable
2, No subscription to pay unlike some of the networks.
3, Hopefully we'll see an expanded network.
I can understand Ecotricity wanting to incentivise people to use their home electricity, but £5 for 50 miles of range is poor value. Most of our trips are local - school run etc., so we normally charge at home, however I'll take my old 170k mile Merc diesel barge next time I have a 90+ mile round trip, which will cost the same per mile and avoids the en route wait to charge. If Ecotricity offered a membership of say £10/year and then £2/charge they might maintain a car customer base rather than wiping it out.
As it is many of the charging points on the motorway here are woefully underused, on my last trip there was a Range Rover and then a Disco 4 parked in the spaces as there was no one there and they could see nothing wrong with doing so. How long until the spaces get removed due to lack of use?...
As it is many of the charging points on the motorway here are woefully underused, on my last trip there was a Range Rover and then a Disco 4 parked in the spaces as there was no one there and they could see nothing wrong with doing so. How long until the spaces get removed due to lack of use?...
Edited by Biggles111 on Thursday 7th July 11:00
I really don't see why people are complaining. It was never going to stay free, and actually cars like the Leaf/Zoe are simply not designed for long distance trips. Even with Ecotricty chargers been free when I took my Leaf from Leicester to Cardiff a trip that normally take 2.5 hrs ended up been nearly 5hr (2 charging stops + driving at 55mph).
BUT I still love my Leaf, because 95% of my trips are well with-in it's 80-90 mile range. Coming up to 9000 miles now and cannot remember the last time I even thought about using a Ecotricity rapid charger. I'll replacing the Leaf with a Tesla soon, with a 200 miles+ real life range I cannot see my self even bothering to use Tesla's supercharger network on a regular basis. The beauty of EVs is you can start each day with a 'full tank', wasting my life sitting at charge points is not my idea of fun, regardless of the cost associated with the charge point.
We've already agreed the next car after the Model S will most likely be a Model 3 to replace my wife's car sometime in 2020. Cannot wait to have a combustion engine free driveway.
BUT I still love my Leaf, because 95% of my trips are well with-in it's 80-90 mile range. Coming up to 9000 miles now and cannot remember the last time I even thought about using a Ecotricity rapid charger. I'll replacing the Leaf with a Tesla soon, with a 200 miles+ real life range I cannot see my self even bothering to use Tesla's supercharger network on a regular basis. The beauty of EVs is you can start each day with a 'full tank', wasting my life sitting at charge points is not my idea of fun, regardless of the cost associated with the charge point.
We've already agreed the next car after the Model S will most likely be a Model 3 to replace my wife's car sometime in 2020. Cannot wait to have a combustion engine free driveway
. Edited by gangzoom on Thursday 7th July 11:59
gangzoom said:
I really don't see why people are complaining. It was never going to stay free, and actually cars like the Leaf/Zoe are simply not designed for long distance trips.
Don't disagree but why choose such a stupidly low time per charge.It takes at least 30mins on a rapid to get somewhere near full charge on a ZOE. Why not make it 40mins allowance? It's not like there are long lines of cars at the charge points waiting their turn.
Given it costs circa £1.80 - £2.00 for a full charge at home then asking more than double this for only 20mins worth is taking the pi$$.
And yes, Ecotricity KWh rates are more than you can get elsewhere, so you are paying for it one way or another.
dave_s13 said:
Given it costs circa £1.80 - £2.00 for a full charge at home then asking more than double this for only 20mins worth is taking the pi$$.
And yes, Ecotricity KWh rates are more than you can get elsewhere, so you are paying for it one way or another.
I suppose only Ecotricity knows how they have worked their business model. But it has made me look at my own electricity tariff, as it turns out spending 10 minutes on the web has got me a new electricity deal which drops my home electricity costs from 14p per kWh to 10.2p per kWh.And yes, Ecotricity KWh rates are more than you can get elsewhere, so you are paying for it one way or another.
£5 for 16kWh (assuming a full 50KW delivered for 20 minutes), thats 31p per kWh.....No thanks.
The numbers of EVs are increasing year on year in purchases vehicles plus you have the prevailing older stock. All means that they need £ and a return to build more infrastructure to support this current and future demand.
Also why would they do it for free? They need to make a certain margin and frankly the suggestions of £2 for 40min charge are a joke surely.... They may as well sell that space for parking instead.
Also what about the rolling repairs?
From what a number here have said its about 50miles so £0.10 per mile seems fair enough. Do remember that sooner or later you will be paying tax on the EV usage currently the fossil fuels are all subsidising you as that revenue gets less and less as fossil switch to EV and also move to more economical fossil then the govt duty gets less and less. Unless we increase income tax to cover it which isn't right it should be those who use it pay.
Also why would they do it for free? They need to make a certain margin and frankly the suggestions of £2 for 40min charge are a joke surely.... They may as well sell that space for parking instead.
Also what about the rolling repairs?
From what a number here have said its about 50miles so £0.10 per mile seems fair enough. Do remember that sooner or later you will be paying tax on the EV usage currently the fossil fuels are all subsidising you as that revenue gets less and less as fossil switch to EV and also move to more economical fossil then the govt duty gets less and less. Unless we increase income tax to cover it which isn't right it should be those who use it pay.
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