InstaVolt off-peak charging: Network launches new cheaper EV rates
InstaVolt has announced a new off-peak charging rate to cut prices for drivers.
The firm is the UK’s biggest rapid charging network but is also among the most expensive, with a standard price of 85p/kWh.
From Sunday 1 September, however, drivers using its devices at off-peak times will pay a reduced rate of 54p/kWh, cutting costs by around a third.
The firm says the move, which will apply across all 1,600 of its rapid chargers, will help drivers facing rising costs elsewhere.
Delvin Lane, CEO of InstaVolt, said: “We’ve brought off-peak pricing in across our network ahead of our planned schedule as we wanted to offer this excellent price before we go into the colder months, giving InstaVolt users this saving now.
“We know the winter presents extra challenges, and we’re mindful that the cost-of-living crisis is still affecting people, the price of energy is also set to increase following the recently announced October price cap. Charging during our off-peak hours will create a significant reduction for customers ahead of this rise. Our new tariff will have the benefit of offering motorists who can’t charge at home, a cheaper rate of electricity.”
The discounted rate will apply between 10pm and 5am and will initially only be available to users of the InstaVolt app. The operator says the off-peak tariff will be rolled out to customers using contactless payment by the end of the year.
It also revealed that it was working on dynamic pricing structures similar to those in place on the Tesla Supercharger network, which include time-of-day and regional pricing.
Delvin Lane added that as well as introducing the off-peak tariff, InstaVolt would continue to campaign for measures to reduce the cost of charging across the Uk’s entire network. He added: “With the recent changes to the government, InstaVolt continues to lobby on behalf of drivers, to review the decision on public charging VAT being charged at 20%. As we have always committed to do so, we will pass any reduction in VAT onto our customers immediately, whether charging day or night.”
