I had a chat with the Head of Marketing at Chargefox this morning to get an update about how their nation-wide EV charging platform is evolving and this is what I found out.
Question: I noticed that the 350kW chargers on the Chargefox app now have a motoring association logo and name eg RACV – Moe, NRMA – Goulburn, Perth RAC etc? Have the actual chargers also been physically reskinned to match?
Chargefox replied as quoted below:
“The motoring clubs have taken ownership of the Ultra-Rapid network. Chargefox no longer owns any charger hardware. Chargefox branding on all chargers has always been very minimal, the owner/hosts brand is always the most prominent branding”.
I have personally used several Chargefox 350kW locations in the past and as you can see in my photos below they are already branded with motoring association logos etc.
Perhaps that will be made even more prominent in the future especially once eventually when the existing 350kW charging hardware is replaced.
NRMA plans on rolling out ABB and Kempower units at their new rural and regional charging locations, examples of the new branding are shown below in my photos.
Regarding the WA idle fees trial ($1/min after 10min grace period), what do Chargefox and the owners of chargers on their platform plan to do if:
- someone disconnects their car before the 10min grace period is over and leaves it parked in a charging bay?
- someone just parks in a charging bay without charging their EV, or parks there in a fossil car (ICEing)?
Chargefox replied as quoted below:
“As a software/platform provider once a car is disconnected we don’t have any authority or capability to monitor or enforce parking restrictions”.
“Enforcement of parking restrictions including overstays and ‘ICEing’ can only be done my law enforcement, local council or property owners”.
Hate getting to a charger to find a fully-charged car blocking the plug and the driver nowhere to be seen?
We’re getting more people charging by adding idle fees to select WA charging sites from 18 July.https://t.co/2moNt5CGGO#EVcharging #sharingiscaring #dontgoballooning pic.twitter.com/R5S39U90Pe
— Chargefox (@Chargefox) July 12, 2023
