Blink membership plans & fees (Warning : new RPA required)

[GoingGreener]

Per Blink customer service rep today, Ecotality is delaying the $30 Blink Plus membership fee until 1/1/2014. The DC fast chargers will remain free until we get notifications (maybe 1 week in advance).

I forgot to ask about our RPA. I don't know if anything changed from our original one. Are we able to check on-line?

 

[wsbca]

With 6.0kW charging available on 2013 Leafs, do you reckon Ecotality will still keep charging a flat per hour rate for all "L2" charging activity? If so, that's a bit of a slap in the face to early adopters limited to 3.3kW. Any sense in which that might not be considered legal? I know the charge is not cast as being for the electricity per se, but, in jurisdictions where it's legal to charge for it (the electricity itself), if the quantity of the commodity is the only difference between two sales, it seems like there might be justification for adjusting the pricing relative to consumption. Then again, there seems to be no movement away from whole hour billing regardless of charge time, so I guess probably not much hope.

 

[KeiJidosha]

With 6.0kW charging available on 2013 Leafs, do you reckon Ecotality will still keep charging a flat per hour rate for all "L2" charging activity? If so, that's a bit of a slap in the face to early adopters limited to 3.3kW. Any sense in which that might not be considered legal? I know the charge is not cast as being for the electricity per se, but, in jurisdictions where it's legal to charge for it (the electricity itself), if the quantity of the commodity is the only difference between two sales, it seems like there might be justification for adjusting the pricing relative to consumption. Then again, there seems to be no movement away from whole hour billing regardless of charge time, so I guess probably not much hope.

Public charging provides a commodity and a service. Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Chevy (if the Spark comes out with a 3.3kW on-board charger) own fault for this inequity. You still tie up the charge site that otherwise would dispense the full 6.6kW per hour to others. Not a fan of whole hour billing, but selling the 2013 LEAF S without 6.0 kW charging effects more than it's owner at public charge sites.

 

[thankyouOB]

Per Blink customer service rep today, Ecotality is delaying the $30 Blink Plus membership fee until 1/1/2014. The DC fast chargers will remain free until we get notifications (maybe 1 week in advance).

I forgot to ask about our RPA. I don't know if anything changed from our original one. Are we able to check on-line?

yea, website says no fee through 2013.

 

[JimSouCal]

Per Blink customer service rep today, Ecotality is delaying the $30 Blink Plus membership fee until 1/1/2014. The DC fast chargers will remain free until we get notifications (maybe 1 week in advance).

I forgot to ask about our RPA. I don't know if anything changed from our original one. Are we able to check on-line?

Does anyone know if a blink account will have fees added starting January 1, 2014?

 

[thankyouOB]

there is nothing on the website about a fee to be a member in 2014.

 

[thankyouOB]

Hello_____,
We are forgoing the membership fees and are looking to move everything
to a one membership for all structure. There will be no fees associated
with membership, other than paying for what you use. If you have any
questions, please let me know.

Thank You,

_____ _______
Blink Network Contact Center
e: [email protected] | d: +1.888.998.2546

 

[JimSouCal]

Hello_____,
We are forgoing the membership fees...

_____ _______
Blink Network Contact Center
e: [email protected] | d: +1.888.998.2546

Thanks!

 

[brettcgb]

there is nothing on the website about a fee to be a member in 2014.

Blink went bankrupt in 2013, and was auctioned off to CarCharging http://www.carcharging.com/ in October(?).

I think we can expect a lot of changes in the next 3-9 months while the dust settles (assuming it settles).

 

[walterbays]

there is nothing on the website about a fee to be a member in 2014.

Blink went bankrupt in 2013, and was auctioned off to CarCharging http://www.carcharging.com/ in October(?).

I think we can expect a lot of changes in the next 3-9 months while the dust settles (assuming it settles).

I'd be angry to be charged $30 for hypothetical access to a bunch of broken chargers. If they fixed them and kept them fixed and kept the online status accurate then I'd be happy to pay even more. Especially if they structured it as a membership fee for discounts to per-minute fees, so people wouldn't camp out on the chargers.

The main thing we'll learn whenever the dust finally settles is whether CarCharging bought Blink to run it as a business, or whether they bought it hoping to flip it to a new owner for a profit. Even if the latter I'd think that some amount of maintenance to their assets would be required to maintain the value of the business.

 

[brettcgb]

there is nothing on the website about a fee to be a member in 2014.

Blink went bankrupt in 2013, and was auctioned off to CarCharging http://www.carcharging.com/ in October(?).

I think we can expect a lot of changes in the next 3-9 months while the dust settles (assuming it settles).

I'd be angry to be charged $30 for hypothetical access to a bunch of broken chargers. If they fixed them and kept them fixed and kept the online status accurate then I'd be happy to pay even more. Especially if they structured it as a membership fee for discounts to per-minute fees, so people wouldn't camp out on the chargers.

Until there some enforcement with respect to ICE'd EVSE, they wont be able to do anything about camping. And I think their plan is to migrate as much as possible to billing by kWHr rather than time.

The main thing we'll learn whenever the dust finally settles is whether CarCharging bought Blink to run it as a business, or whether they bought it hoping to flip it to a new owner for a profit. Even if the latter I'd think that some amount of maintenance to their assets would be required to maintain the value of the business.

I hadn't thought of flipping... but they have fixed a few chargers. It may be nothing more than a token effort though.

 

[LEAFfan]

And I think their plan is to migrate as much as possible to billing by kWHr rather than time.

In AZ, only the Utilities can bill by kW h so unless the law changes, it will have to be by time.

 

[Tomasz]

And I think their plan is to migrate as much as possible to billing by kWHr rather than time.

In AZ, only the Utilities can bill by kW h so unless the law changes, it will have to be by time.

Which can easily be circumvented by relating the price per h to the current you are actually drawing. E.g. if your car charges at 15A level you pay $1/h, if your car draws 30A you pay $2/h. You are billed by time just different rate.

 

[brettcgb]

And I think their plan is to migrate as much as possible to billing by kWHr rather than time.

In AZ, only the Utilities can bill by kW h so unless the law changes, it will have to be by time.

Which can easily be circumvented by relating the price per h to the current you are actually drawing. E.g. if your car charges at 15A level you pay $1/h, if your car draws 30A you pay $2/h. You are billed by time just different rate.

I'd had exactly the same thoughts... and someone would file a lawsuit,finally. The courts can invalidate parts of laws, so a lawsuit would be a required first step in challenging the law. The question is, would the court act in to strike down parts of the laws, or let them stand?