Electric vehicles (EVs) often rely on public charging infrastructure when drivers are unfamiliar with an area. However, an incident involving a Michigan resident highlights the complexities and potential pitfalls of using non-standard public charging stations, leading to an unusually high bill.
Details of the Charging Incident
A resident, Stanley Kpenkann, charged his rented Chevrolet Bolt at a Hyundai dealership in Macomb Township, Michigan. While the charger was visible and seemingly available to the public, Kpenkann was subsequently billed at substantial rates: $5 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and an additional $5 per minute.
The total cost accumulated for the session was $418. The Bolt, which has a 65-kWh battery pack, was running low on power, with Kpenkann estimating he had approximately 20 minutes of driving range left. He located the charging station, which was operated by ChargePoint, using the EVgo mobile application. The session lasted for 44 minutes.
Kpenkann noted that he did not see the pricing structure before starting the charging process, although the rates were apparently displayed on the charger itself. This incident occurred at a time when EVgo and ChargePoint maintain a “roaming agreement,” allowing users of one network to access the other.
The Dispute and Refund
Following the receipt of the substantial invoice, Kpenkann contacted EVgo to dispute the charges, assuming there had been an error. Initially, EVgo informed him that the billing was correct. However, after considerable discussion, the company eventually offered a “goodwill refund” totaling $405.
The remaining balance of $13.27 represented the amount Kpenkann was supposed to pay according to his existing EVgo subscription plan. This meant that he was charged 31 times the standard rate for the duration of the recharge.
Dealer Policies and Industry Context
When questioned about the exorbitant pricing, the Hyundai dealership told news channel WXYZ that the station was “reserved for its own customers and vehicles.” Critics suggested that if the dealer wished to prevent public access, there were alternative methods, such as affixing a clear disclaimer to the terminal.
Industry experts noted that such charging terminals should ideally not be listed on public mapping services like EVgo, regardless of their accessibility.
For context, the average rate for a Level 3 DC fast-charger nationwide is reported by Qmerit at $0.53 per kilowatt-hour. The rate charged in this instance was significantly higher, and the addition of a per-minute fee made the cost prohibitive.
