Car Charging Group announced that beginning on September 2, 2014, new pricing policy changes and enhanced features will be introduced on EV charging stations owned by Blink and operated on the Blink Network.
These changes and features include kilowatt-hour (“kWh”) pricing, reduced time-based charging increments, program participation confirmation, and remote start functionality.
To provide more appealing rates for EV drivers and to stimulate demand, CarCharging will introduce kWh pricing on EV charging stations owned by Blink and operated on the Blink Network in states where such pricing models are permitted. These states include California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, along with the District of Columbia.
CarCharging notes that it is a proponent of kWh pricing because it is usage-based and EV drivers pay fees based on the actual amount of power consumed during the charging session rather than the amount of time that the car remains plugged into the station. Fees for Level 2 EV charging stations owned by Blink and operated on the Blink Network in the kWh eligible states will range from $0.39 to $0.79 per kWh, depending on the state and individual’s membership status. Fees for DCFC chargers owned by Blink and operated on the Blink Network in the eligible states will range from $0.49 to $0.69 per kWh, depending on the state and individual’s membership status.
Additionally, in response to customer feedback and to provide flexibility for Blink station owners, CarCharging will reduce the time increments for stations operated on the Blink Network located in states where kWh pricing is not permitted. Time-based charging fees will no longer be rounded to the nearest hour, but rather, up to the nearest 30-second interval. Fees for Level 2 EV charging stations owned by Blink and operated on the Blink Network in non-kwh eligible states will range from $0.04 to $0.06 per minute, depending on membership status. Fees for DCFC chargers owned by Blink and operated on the Blink Network in non-kwh eligible states will range from $6.99 to $9.99 per session, depending on membership status.
To enhance the EV charging experience, stations on the Blink Network that participate in specific promotions or programs, such as Nissan’s No Charge to Charge, will also be noted on a participating station’s screen, and after a program participant’s card is swiped at the participating station, the appropriate program information will be displayed. CarCharging will also introduce remote start functionality via Blink Customer Support. On the driver’s behalf, Blink Customer Support personnel will be able to initiate charging sessions remotely. CarCharging anticipates expanding this functionality to the Blink and CarCharging mobile applications in the immediate future.
