[SalisburySam]

Yeah, also got the "good news." Pretty significant hikes to my mind all beginning March 6, 2023:

• Almost 12% increase per kWh to $0.48
• Almost 19% increase in per minute charge below 90kW to $0.19
• Almost 16% increase in per minute charge below 350kW to $0.37
• Pass+ membership ($4/month) generate about 25% discounts off the new pricing:
  • $0.36/kWh
  • $0.15/kW below 90kW
  • $0.29/kW below 350kW

Obviously pushing the membership plan, and for at least me, maxing out on charging at home. It's those pesky road trips that hurt the most.

But it's great to know that, according to the email, I'm "...a valued customer..."

 

[SalisburySam]

…subsequent maintenance by repairing or replacing chargers is cheaper.

Which theoretically could be 12 cents or something per kWh.

I agree with what you’ve said, but I’m very skeptical of the result. I don’t see charging costs going down…ever. While equipment costs could benefit from production scaling up, site development and installation will only go up in costs both for land and labor, and have to be recouped by charging costs or Federal/State largesse. I also don’t see maintenance costs decreasing but rather increasing, again primarily for labor. Currently there are reportedly far too many charging sites out of order for a wide spectrum of reasons including everything from a plowed snow bank causing inaccessibility to communication problems to chopped off charging cables to station failures. Further aggravating this is the recent spate of idiots shooting into substations. The new issue of hardening these sites and the costs for the grid in general will be astronomical and further contribute to escalating electricity costs. Lots of news recently about utilities asking public utility commissions for very significant rate increases add to this frustration. Lastly, the big killer to low cost charging is utility demand charges. These have little bearing on the actual cost of producing and delivering electricity, nor the equipment costs nor its maintenance. For electricity costs to decrease “at the pump,” these demand charges will need major overhaul and I see nothing that indicates that will happen.

A theoretical price of $0.12/kWh is just that in my opinion…theory. I don’t see that happening, nor how it could. I believe more likely costs will continue to escalate. If there is a positive in all this, it might be a more robust network, i.e., more charging stations working more of the time.