Chargefox EV fast-charging prices rise by 50 per cent
Electric car owners hit by increase for ultra-rapid charging across Chargefox’s national networkThe Chargefox electric vehicle charging network has confirmed it will soon surrender its price advantage over a key rival.
From May 9, pricing for what it dubs “ultra-rapid” chargers (up to 350kW DC) will rise 50 per cent from 40c to 60c per kilowatt-hour, bringing it in line with Evie Networks.
Recharging at fast chargers (up to 50kW) will continue to be priced at 40c/kWh. That’s already in line with Evie.
Chargefox and Evie are dedicated national charging businesses that cater to all battery-electric vehicles, whereas some other networks have been established for a specific car brand (Tesla) or membership (motoring clubs).
Ultra-rapid (Evie calls them ultra-fast) chargers are becoming increasingly popular among EV buyers as newer vehicles with bigger batteries and higher charging capabilities come into the country.
For example, the current Nissan LEAF can only charge its 40kWh battery at 50kW DC. But the Hyundai IONIQ 5 claims a 230kW maximum recharging rate for its 72.6kWh battery.
In a communication to reveal the price rises, Chargefox didn’t justify the price increase apart from pointing out it’s the first one since 2018.
At the same time it also tried to soften the pricing blow by promising to deliver better network reliability, new features to its app and more discounted pricing options.
There’s no detail on the latter, but it’s worth noting some car companies have deals with Chargefox for free charging and members of motoring clubs (NRMA, RACV etc) receive a 20 per cent discount.
Chargefox also reiterated a commitment to add more chargers as EV numbers on our roads grow.
It has previously announced plans to offer 5000 charging plugs by 2025, including 2000 with fast or ultra-rapid speeds. It currently has about 1400 plugs in service, mostly standard AC 22kW.
The reliability initiative is where most detail is offered, reflecting a frustration EV drivers experience.
“As both Chargefox and the number of EV drivers have grown, so too has the pressure on resources and supplier networks crucial to powering our sites,” Chargefox states.
“There have been outages at some sites, less than ideal visibility of maintenance timeframes and questions about the reliability of the sites on our network – both for the locations we own and those we manage for others.
“We recognise these issues and the impact they’ve had, and we want all drivers to know that we’re fixing them.”
Chargefox nominated three ways it was working to improve its network:
- New approaches to working with manufacturers on the supply of parts for station hardware
- Improving turnaround times on maintenance at offline stations
- Increased transparency with drivers and site hosts about station outages and resolution timeframes
Images: Chargefox
Related: Hungry Jack’s to offer fast food and fast EV charging
Related: Ampol service stations to soon offer EV charging
Related: Aussie EV fast-charger network expansion
Join the conversation at
Or email us at
Or email us at
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
