Pay for leaving EVs idle at selected SP chargers from 1 Dec
30 Nov 2023|9,880 views
Just as road hogging enrages fellow road users, the hogging of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging lots equally frustrates EV drivers. It seems that the SP Group - operator of Singapore's largest and fastest public EV charging network - has received enough feedback from drivers and landlords to swoop in with some concrete action.
From 1 December 2023, SP Group will start charging 'idle fees' at eight public EV-charging locations to deter hogging and shorten waiting time. The operator defines its idle fees as charges that will "apply after a charging session has ended and the vehicle is still plugged in after the end of the grace period, which is 30-minutes".
Fees are set at $0.50 per minute, up to a maximum of $20 per charging session. This will apply between 7:00am and 10:30pm every day, except at petrol stations where idle fees are charged all day. Based on the definition, a user will have to pay idle fees if their EV is still plugged into a lot 30 minutes after the EV has completed its charging.
In keeping with the introduction of idle fees, users will receive three push notifications from the SP app:
- First notification when the charging session ends
- Second notification at the 15-minute interval
- Third notification at the 30-minute mark when idle fees kick in
This is, apparently, not a new practice. Since its inception, the SP app sends an alert to the driver to notify them when their charging session is completed and informs the driver to move their vehicle.
The difference appears to be that drivers charging their EVs will now receive a total of three notifications throughout the grace period, if their EV is not removed from the charging station.
Users are reminded to enable push notifications on their smartphones to keep track of their EV charging status and the amount of fees payable. Idle fees will be billed through the same payment method chosen by the user for EV charging payment.
In the case of company-registered vehicles, a credit card may have to be added to the SP app for the purpose of fee payment.
To avoid incurring idle fees, users should move their EV from the charging lot within the 30-minute grace period.
For now, the SP Group has only implemented idle fees at selected charging locations in private condominiums in addition to the public EV-charging points, which include Autobacs Ubi, Caltex Changi, Duo Tower, i12 Katong, IMM, Marina Square, Northpoint City, SPC Bukit Batok.
These locations form less than three percent of the Group's EV charging network, and were identified from a review of charging activity and feedback from landlords and customers.
The need for idle fees seems to have become more pertinent as more in Singapore switch to EVs.
SP Group said it is first trialling this feature at a small number of locations. It is taking a measured approach to allow customers to learn about the feature and adjust their behaviours accordingly. The Group will study the implementation using real-time data and make further adjustments where necessary.
"With the number of EVs increasing, we see a need to enhance our users’ experience by fostering the right etiquette and behaviour and by reducing waiting times through improved charger availability," Dean Cher, Head, Mobility, Sustainability Energy Solutions, SP Group tells Sgcarmart.
The Group also said it will consider extending the scope of idle fees to apply at more locations across the island as EV adoption picks up. This will depend on location-specific utilisation data and drivers' feedback.
SP Group hopes that its move to impose idle fees will encourage users to exhibit the right etiquette and behaviour, improve charger availability, and enhance the charging experience for EV drivers.
While still relatively uncommon in Singapore, the charging of idle fees is already being practised in other countries such as America and Australia.
Tesla also imposes an idle fee for every additional minute that an EV remains connected to Tesla Superchargers on local grounds. However, the fee is waived if the vehicle is removed within five minutes. Under Tesla's fee structure, charges kick in when the station overall capacity hits 50%.
Just as road hogging enrages fellow road users, the hogging of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging lots equally frustrates EV drivers. It seems that the SP Group - operator of Singapore's largest and fastest public EV charging network - has received enough feedback from drivers and landlords to swoop in with some concrete action.
From 1 December 2023, SP Group will start charging 'idle fees' at eight public EV-charging locations to deter hogging and shorten waiting time. The operator defines its idle fees as charges that will "apply after a charging session has ended and the vehicle is still plugged in after the end of the grace period, which is 30-minutes".
Fees are set at $0.50 per minute, up to a maximum of $20 per charging session. This will apply between 7:00am and 10:30pm every day, except at petrol stations where idle fees are charged all day. Based on the definition, a user will have to pay idle fees if their EV is still plugged into a lot 30 minutes after the EV has completed its charging.
In keeping with the introduction of idle fees, users will receive three push notifications from the SP app:
- First notification when the charging session ends
- Second notification at the 15-minute interval
- Third notification at the 30-minute mark when idle fees kick in
This is, apparently, not a new practice. Since its inception, the SP app sends an alert to the driver to notify them when their charging session is completed and informs the driver to move their vehicle.
The difference appears to be that drivers charging their EVs will now receive a total of three notifications throughout the grace period, if their EV is not removed from the charging station.
Users are reminded to enable push notifications on their smartphones to keep track of their EV charging status and the amount of fees payable. Idle fees will be billed through the same payment method chosen by the user for EV charging payment.
In the case of company-registered vehicles, a credit card may have to be added to the SP app for the purpose of fee payment.
To avoid incurring idle fees, users should move their EV from the charging lot within the 30-minute grace period.
For now, the SP Group has only implemented idle fees at selected charging locations in private condominiums in addition to the public EV-charging points, which include Autobacs Ubi, Caltex Changi, Duo Tower, i12 Katong, IMM, Marina Square, Northpoint City, SPC Bukit Batok.
These locations form less than three percent of the Group's EV charging network, and were identified from a review of charging activity and feedback from landlords and customers.
The need for idle fees seems to have become more pertinent as more in Singapore switch to EVs.
SP Group said it is first trialling this feature at a small number of locations. It is taking a measured approach to allow customers to learn about the feature and adjust their behaviours accordingly. The Group will study the implementation using real-time data and make further adjustments where necessary.
"With the number of EVs increasing, we see a need to enhance our users’ experience by fostering the right etiquette and behaviour and by reducing waiting times through improved charger availability," Dean Cher, Head, Mobility, Sustainability Energy Solutions, SP Group tells Sgcarmart.
The Group also said it will consider extending the scope of idle fees to apply at more locations across the island as EV adoption picks up. This will depend on location-specific utilisation data and drivers' feedback.
SP Group hopes that its move to impose idle fees will encourage users to exhibit the right etiquette and behaviour, improve charger availability, and enhance the charging experience for EV drivers.
While still relatively uncommon in Singapore, the charging of idle fees is already being practised in other countries such as America and Australia.
Tesla also imposes an idle fee for every additional minute that an EV remains connected to Tesla Superchargers on local grounds. However, the fee is waived if the vehicle is removed within five minutes. Under Tesla's fee structure, charges kick in when the station overall capacity hits 50%.
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