Australian Energy company AGL has announced today that it will offer customers an Electric Vehicle (EV) Subscription Service.
Under a partnership with car subscription service Carbar and EV charging supplier JET Charge, this will be the first time an EV subscription service with these features has been offered in Australia.
This is a pretty wild concept to wrap your head around, not just the subscription part, but specifically who it’s from, an energy company.
Typically the EV in the garage and solar on the roof have been strategies to distance yourself from power companies. In reality, this is a really smart move by AGL, particularly as V2G technology becomes a reality and the energy provider looks to take advantage of the battery storage potential in the vehicle, to balance peak demands on the grid.
Subscribing to a vehicle from AGL almost certainly means they’ll want to work with you (control) the optimal time for you and the grid, to charge the battery in your car.
For example, if you get home from work at 6PM and plug in your car, that’s bad for you as you’ll pay the most for power during peak times, and also bad for AGL as they need more capacity to service that. Instead, if you can nominate that you’ll need the car charged by 7AM, they may chose to deliver the charge to you car from 3AM-4AM where demand is load and they have excess capacity.
This also guarentees AGL energy customers for those who sign up to the subscription, with most EV owners recharging at home.
AGL Executive General Manager Future Business & Technology, John Chambers said we have created an innovative and flexible service to help our customers drive towards a cleaner future, without the commitment of owning a car.
“As a leader in Australia’s energy market AGL will use the best technologies to provide our customers with choice and flexibility and this EV subscription service not only allows that, but puts them ahead of the curve.
The market for EVs in Australia is continuing to grow but we know many customers may still be reluctant to buy an EV outright due to price, concerns about technological change or access to charging facilities.
AGL’s EV Subscription Service eliminates these concerns allowing customers to access the latest technology as it hits the market.
It’s a convenient option, with the latest EV model delivered to the customer’s home and at-home charging facilities installed but with the flexibility to swap, upgrade or cancel the service at any time.
We know customers are becoming more attuned with subscription services which provide all the benefits but none of the hassle – this is the Netflix of electric vehicles.”
AGL Executive General Manager Future Business & Technology, John Chambers
As part of the AGL EV subscription service customers will have access to electric vehicles from a range of leading brands like Tesla, Jaguar, Hyundai and Nissan. The service will also include registration, insurance, tyres, repairs, roadside assistance and carbon neutral credits.
Prices for the different vehicles reflect their outright purchase price, ranging from $299 per week for the Nissan Leaf, up to $599 for the Tesla Model 3.
- Nissan Leaf – A$299 per week
- Hyundai Ioniq – A$299 per week
- Hyundai Kona – A$359 per week
- Tesla Model 3 (SR+) – A$599 per week
If you were to rent these for a whole year, you’re talking between$ 15,548 and $31,148. This obviously won’t suit everyone, but may be more approachable than a single up-front cost for an outright vehicle purchase.
Mr Chambers said the market fundamentals supporting the uptake of EVs are strong.
“Over the next few years, more models will hit the market, prices will fall in line with petrol vehicles and fast charging facilities will allow even greater distances to be travelled.
Here at AGL we became the first signatory to EV100, committing to making our own corporate fleet entirely EV by 2030.
These changes will transform how Australia drives and we anticipate that by 2030 half of all new cars sold could be electric.”
The AGL Electric Vehicle Subscription service begins from $299 per week with no lock-in contracts. During the pilot phases, the service is only available to eligible customers within 50 kilometres of Sydney or Melbourne but over time will be expanded and refined to ensure it meets the needs of more customers.
AGL’s customer-facing delivery team will practice COVID safe, contactless delivery of vehicles. Unfortunately, due to Government restrictions, orders for Victoria will be limited but customers will be put on a waitlist.
The EV Subscription Service will be delivered under AGL Next, an innovation initiative piloting new programs, technologies and partnerships across energy, telecommunications and beyond.
For more information head to AGL Electric Vehicle Subscription.
