The hidden reason behind high public charge costs

[dan_b]

It's a good question!
In the town, there are two rapid chargers - one at Lidl and the other at the BP garage - and they're both charging 70-80p/kWh for high power charging.
There are a lot of EVs buzzing around, and although lots of houses have driveways, and I've spotted a fair few with home EV charging, I guess there are enough who don't. We've priced it relatively low so I guess that helps, plus we don't mind people parking up all day to charge or even overnight. So we're not charging for parking.

[MikeNovack]

Over here it would not be realistic to discuss FAST charging in terms of cost/KWh of ENERGY.

That is because FAST charging would also be paying a "demand charge" based on the maximum POWER (KW -- actually KVA as also charged for reactance). In other words, during the billing period what is the most load you represented to the grid. That billing component for power going to be spread over an undetermined amount of energy. If used evenly, the price / KWh of that fast charger not badly affected by the power charge (spread over lots of KWh). But if that fast charger is used for just a few times a day, the the power charge spread over fewer KWk so the price/KWh higher.

We need some perspective. If 40 KWh is put into a battery in 40 min that's 60KW. The road I live on is four miles ;ong. I doubt all the houses on it together draw 60 KW.

[Stinsy]

Just had a BYD Atto 3 charge up at our public charge point for the first time - it pulled down 58kWh at a very solid 11kW!

Yesterday afternoon it seems we had a visitor at the public site whose car was pulling 21kW - but frustratingly the charging log doesn't say what the vehicle was!



Just had a look at the average charging speeds delivered to different vehicles at our public PodPoint charger at the office over the last year.
We have a 22kW 3-phase AC PodPoint.

BMW 530e (hybrid) - 3.3kW
VW Golf GTE (hybrid) - 3.6kW
MG ZS - 6.4kW
Hyundai Ioniq (Windknife model) - 6.5kW
Nissan Leaf E 62kW - 6.6kW
Vauxhall Corsa-e - 6.8kW
Vauxhall Astra-e - 10.3kW
Audi Q4 e-Tron - 11kW
Tesla Model 3 - 11kW
VW iD4 - 11kW
Vauxhall Mokka-e - 11kW
Kia e-Niro - 11kW
Renault Zoe 50 - 18kW

Citroen e-C4 - failed!

You seem to offering a useful service.
Why are these people using your charger do you think. People who have not got home chargers. People who will do anything for a cheap charge. Visitors near by.

I'm really surprised that more shops/offices don't install reasonably-priced AC charging. The small margin will cover the hardware installation costs eventually, and you get the additional convenience for you own use. Plenty of businesses would additionally benefit from additional footfall.

The idea that charging provision has to be a huge investment in ultra-rapid DC charging seems to have taken root.

[AGT]

One DNO I know will install all the equipment, off their underground infrastructure so not affecting current building loading, maintain the equipment, manage back end software etc and you get a rent per space.