295 The Cheap Charging Update Episode

Public charging is charging your electric vehicle at charging stations that are available to the public (often in retail areas, highways, or dedicated charging hubs). The price you pay is influenced by both electricity costs and the operator’s infrastructure and operating expenses.

Wholesale electricity price is the cost utilities pay for electricity in bulk before it’s sold to consumers or charging operators. In this episode, the host argues it’s only a small part of what you pay for public charging compared with other fees and infrastructure costs.

A charging hub is a concentrated location with multiple EV chargers, often designed to handle high demand. The episode highlights that features like canopies, grid upgrades, and accessibility add significant cost.

Grid connection refers to the electrical link between a charging site and the local power network. Strong grid connections (and sometimes upgrades) are needed to supply enough power for high-power chargers, and that work can be a major part of the total project cost.

InstaVolt is the charging network brand behind the “Super Hub” in Winchester referenced in the episode. The host uses it as an example of the scale and cost of building a large charging site, including solar, battery storage, grid connection, and many ultra-rapid chargers.

Battery storage is using batteries to store electricity for later use. In the context of a charging hub, storage can help manage power demand and potentially reduce costs or improve reliability when charging demand spikes.

Ultra-rapid chargers are EV chargers designed to deliver very high power so vehicles can add a lot of energy in a short time. They typically require substantial electrical infrastructure and can drive up both installation and operating costs.

Standing charges are fixed daily (or periodic) fees that you pay for having an electricity supply, regardless of how much electricity you use. The episode notes that these fixed costs contribute to the overall cost of supplying electricity to charging sites.

“Capacity charges” are fees a charging operator pays (or passes through) based on the amount of electrical capacity reserved or made available at a site. They’re meant to cover costs like grid connection and the ability to supply power when many vehicles charge simultaneously.

“AC only installs” refers to charging setups that provide charging using AC (alternating current) power. In practice, AC charging typically relies on the car’s onboard charger to convert AC to DC for the battery.

A “charge point operator” (CPO) is the company responsible for installing and operating public charging infrastructure. In the segment, CPOs’ costs (licensing, maintenance, and capacity-related fees) influence the rates drivers see.

A “kilowatt hour” (kWh) is a unit of energy. Charging prices are often quoted per kWh, meaning the cost depends on how much electrical energy your car takes from the charger.

VAT is a consumption tax added to many goods and services, including public charging. The transcript contrasts VAT on public charging (20%) versus home charging (5%), which changes the final price you pay.

The “Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025” is referenced as changing rules that affect EV charging deployment costs in the UK. In this segment, it removes the £500–£2000 install costs tied to a section 50 licence for charge point operators.

A “section 50 licence” is a licensing requirement the transcript says charge point operators need when an installation involves “some digging.” The segment frames it as a cost driver that can add up when many chargers are deployed in a city.

“Maximum power” refers to the highest charging output a site can deliver to connected vehicles at once. The transcript suggests some operators pay capacity fees to ensure the site can supply peak power to all chargers simultaneously, which affects costs.

Charge point operators (CPOs) are the companies that own and manage public EV charging networks. They set pricing, availability, and sometimes app/payment requirements for chargers.

“Pence per mile” is a way to express EV charging cost relative to distance driven. It converts electricity price (often per kWh) and vehicle energy use into a per-mile number for easy comparison with petrol/diesel.

Off-peak electricity is the cheaper electricity rate utilities charge during lower-demand hours (often overnight). EV owners can schedule charging to those windows to reduce cost per mile.

Peak rate electricity is the more expensive electricity price charged during high-demand hours. If you charge during peak times, your cost per mile rises compared with off-peak charging.

Price parity is the point where EV charging costs (per mile) are equal to or lower than the cost of driving with petrol or diesel. In this segment, it’s calculated by comparing pence-per-mile figures.

The “public network” refers to EV charging stations available to the general public, typically operated by charge point operators. Pricing and reliability can differ from home charging, which is why the episode discusses cheaper public options.

“BEV overnight” is referenced as a charging offering that provides cheaper rates during overnight/early-morning hours. It’s used to show how time-of-day pricing can reduce EV charging costs.

An AC charger delivers alternating current from the charger to the vehicle, where the car’s onboard system converts it for battery charging. AC charging is commonly used for slower overnight charging compared with DC fast charging.

Pod Point is a charging network brand in the UK, and the speaker is referencing a specific charger location that can offer cheaper pricing. Charging networks often have different tariffs depending on time, membership, or payment method.

This refers to a charging-network subscription plan that changes the electricity tariff you pay at public chargers. The key point is that subscriptions can lower the per-kWh rate, but they usually require signing up and may have conditions.

A pricing hurdle is an extra step or inconvenience that people must overcome to get a better price. The idea is that price-sensitive people will “jump” the hurdle (e.g., signing up or filling out forms), while others won’t bother.

The London Underground is used as a real-world example to illustrate how discounts work when there’s a “hurdle” to access them. It’s not an EV topic by itself, but it supports the pricing-hurdle concept the hosts are explaining.

An Oyster card is a transit payment card for London public transport, introduced to enable cheaper fares. In the segment, it’s used to show that discounts often require using a specific system or completing setup steps.

An RFID card is an access credential that uses radio-frequency identification to let a charger recognize you. Many networks require RFID cards to start sessions without relying solely on a phone app or contactless payment.

A contactless payment card is a bank card that can be tapped to pay without inserting it into a reader. Some charging networks support this so you can start charging quickly without setting up an account or subscription first.

An ad hoc charging price is the pay-as-you-go rate you’re charged without using a pre-negotiated deal like a subscription or discounted plan. The episode contrasts this with the effort of finding cheaper operators.

A tariff is the pricing schedule for charging, often varying by time of day or demand. The hosts discuss choosing between charging at a higher tariff now versus waiting for a lower off-peak tariff later.

lekkie.net is an online pricing resource the hosts reference for comparing charging costs across UK ChargePoint operators. It’s positioned as a source that aggregates prices so users can sort and identify cheaper options.

chargenet.co.uk is another online pricing source mentioned alongside lekkie.net. The hosts use it to support the idea that you can compare pricing across ChargePoint operators and sort by different metrics.

“Price per mile equivalent” converts charger pricing into an estimated cost for driving distance, using an assumed EV efficiency. It helps compare charging deals in a way that feels more like “how much will it cost me to drive?” rather than just “how much electricity costs.”

Slow AC charging refers to charging using alternating current (AC) at lower power levels, typically slower than DC fast charging. The episode is about pricing comparisons, and starting with “slow AC” suggests they’ll discuss cost differences by charger type.

Pay-to-go is a charging model where you pay per session (or per unit of energy) without needing a membership or subscription. It contrasts with subscription pricing that can lower the per-kWh rate.

Fast charging refers to higher-power EV charging that can add significant range more quickly than basic AC charging. Pricing often varies by network and whether you’re using a subscription or a specific time window.

AC charging uses alternating current, and “fast AC” indicates a higher-power AC option than basic AC. The segment discusses an “AC charging rate” and discounts tied to an account upgrade.

Rapid charging is a higher-power charging category (typically DC fast charging) intended for quicker top-ups. The segment notes that this is where pricing becomes more serious—i.e., less favorable.

Tesla is discussed here as both the EV brand and the charging network operator. The segment explains Tesla-specific member/owner pricing, including off-peak and peak-time rates, and notes that non-Tesla drivers pay more without a subscription.

Off-peak charging is charging during designated low-demand hours when electricity is cheaper. The segment explains that Tesla owners can access off-peak pricing at many Tesla sites, with rates varying by location.

Peak times are the high-demand hours when electricity costs more, so EV charging prices rise. The segment says charging during the day can cost significantly more than off-peak.

Ionity is a European fast-charging network. In this episode, they’re discussed as offering a subscription (“Passport”) that changes the per-kWh price you pay at their chargers.

Tiered pricing means the cost of charging changes based on conditions like time of day. In practice, it encourages drivers to charge during cheaper “off-peak” windows by offering lower per-kWh rates.

The Dodge Charger is a full-size American muscle sedan known for strong performance and a long history as a high-power, road-focused car. In an EV-charging context, it’s likely being discussed because owners may be planning around charging stops—waiting at a charger for a set time to top up the battery. That makes it relevant to everyday driving logistics, not just acceleration.

Instable is mentioned as a charge point operator that changed pricing by using on-site solar and battery storage to offer a reduced off-peak rate. The key point is that some operators are tailoring prices based on their own energy availability.

Utilization is how much a charging site is actually used over time (how many charging sessions or how much energy is delivered). Higher utilization helps the operator spread fixed costs like staffing and site expenses across more kWh.

Contribution margin is the portion of revenue that helps cover fixed costs after variable costs are accounted for. The episode uses it conceptually to explain how each additional kWh helps offset overhead even if the operator’s costs don’t scale the same way.

Raw Charging is referenced as the subject of a “recent conversation” with Neil Broadband. It’s included here because it’s part of the episode’s discussion of charging pricing models and subscriptions.

A subscription offering for charging is a pricing model where you pay a recurring fee (monthly/annual) to get discounted charging rates or access to specific tariffs. The episode frames this as a way to make charging cheaper and more predictable for drivers.

kWh (kilowatt-hours) is a unit of energy—how much electricity you use while charging. Charging plans often quote a kWh amount or rate, so understanding kWh helps you compare “cheap” offers fairly.

Zatmap is the podcast sponsor and an app/service used to find charging locations and display pricing information. The episode notes an update that shows prices directly on map pins for quicker decision-making.

AC (alternating current) charging is typically slower than DC fast charging and often uses the car’s onboard charger to convert AC to the battery’s required form. The episode contrasts AC pricing vs DC pricing at the same site.

DC (direct current) charging is typically faster and can deliver power directly to the battery system (often bypassing more of the onboard conversion). The hosts warn that some apps may not clearly show DC pricing if AC is cheaper at the same location.

CarPlay is Apple’s in-car interface that lets you use supported apps and features through the vehicle’s infotainment system. The hosts mention a limitation where accessing UBP Pulse via CarPlay prevents price display at the moment.

UBP Pulse appears to be a charging-related app or service the hosts are evaluating. They specifically mention that when accessed via CarPlay, it doesn’t currently show price information.

CPOs (Charging Point Operators) are the companies that own and operate public charging networks. When a podcast mentions “specific CPOs,” it usually means discounts or deals may only apply on certain networks rather than everywhere.

A subscription account is a paid or registered account you set up to access certain benefits, such as discounted charging rates. In EV charging, these accounts can be required by particular networks or apps to unlock lower prices.

A charging card is a payment method used to start and pay for charging at participating public stations. It can reduce friction versus downloading a separate app for every charging network.

Charging discounts are reduced electricity/charging-session prices offered through subscriptions, partner apps, or specific networks. The segment frames them as something you may get only if you’re willing to clear setup steps like accounts or app compatibility.