Chargepoint operator Gridserve has announced it will change the price drivers pay to recharge their cars depending on “location, power and payment method”.
The firm says while drivers using its smartphone app will remain paying a fixed rate of 79 pence per kWh, for motorists paying directly at chargers, unit costs will range between 79 and 85 pence, with prices set depending on “location, demand and costs”. Slower Gridserve chargers that deliver AC rather than DC electricity will be capped at 49 pence per kWh, though.
Gridserve’s executive chairman, Roy Williamson said wholesale electricity costs only make up 30% of the company’s “overall energy costs”, adding that “standing and capacity charges” make up a “significant portion” of the amount drivers pay for each unit of electricity. Standing charges cover the cost of delivering electricity to outlets, while capacity charges are linked to the amount of energy guaranteed to be provided by a specific installation.
Williamson adds that his company is “working with industry and distribution network operators to find a way to more fairly share the grid costs associated with installing infrastructure”. He echoed recent calls for a reduction in the amount of VAT levied on electricity at public chargers, and concluded that dynamic pricing “offers the best balance between charging experience and value for our customers”.
