Chargefox raises EV charging fees… but not everywhere

Australia’s largest public electric vehicle charging network, Chargefox, has increased its fees – but it only applies to 20 50kW DC stations in New South Wales and Victoria.

Prices are now up to $0.45 per kilowatt-hour (up from $0.40 per kWh), representing an 11 per cent jump, with the Australian company citing increased electricity costs at select owned and operated sites.

This means recharging a Tesla Model 3 rear-wheel drive from 10 to 80 per cent (with a 57.5kWh usable battery, according to EV Database) now costs around $2.00 more, with the invoice totalling $18.11 to give 344 kilometres of claimed driving range.

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Affected Chargefox charging locations

However, prices are unchanged for ultra-rapid 350kW DC chargers at $0.60 per kWh – which undercuts Ampol’s AmpCharge and Tesla Superchargers (which reportedly now fluctuates its price) – and Chargefox stations operated by other companies, including the NRMA, state-backed Queensland Electric Super Highway (QESH), local councils, and businesses remain the same.

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Chargefox follows Evie Networks and AmpCharge, which raised their charging costs by up to 13 per cent last month. All 50kW DC Evie chargers nationwide now cost the same as the affected Chargefox locations.

The company was acquired by Australian Motoring Services last year – which consists of state clubs such as the NRMA, RACV, RACQ, and RAA – and members are still eligible for a 20 per cent discount each fast- or ultra-rapid Chargefox charging session.

According to PlugShare, Chargefox has around 250 AC and DC charging sites across the country, except in the Northern Territory.

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Chargefox point at Airport West

It mostly uses Brisbane-made Tritium chargers, which have been well-documented to be unreliable and have extended repair times due to supply chain component constraints.

Despite rising electricity costs, it is still cheaper to run and own an EV than a conventional petrol or diesel-powered car – except if you charge at more expensive chargers, such as Tesla Superchargers.

The most convenient, cost-effective and reliable way to recharge an EV is from a home socket, especially when harnessing free energy generated from solar panels.