Austin Energy and Chargepoint

New Leaf owner here in Austin. I got my Plug-In Partners card today, and linked it to my Chargepoint account. I submitted the request per the instructions but my Chargepoint account was already setup with the $25 deposit. I know the instructions say to mark it for free only, but I thought it would work. I got the response that my account was linked to Austin Energy, so I tried charging (at the Walmart on 620) but I got charged $1.75 for the half hour I was there.

So, on to my questions:

• Does anyone else have their Plug-In Partner card linked to a Chargepoint account that has the $25 deposit?
• If you have one setup, and it is a Chargepoint that has a cost per hour, what does it say when you scan your card? Does it say it will charge you or does it say 0.00 per hour or something like that?
• Can I use another Chargepoint card (or my phone app) instead of the Plug-In Partner card?

Thanks for any answers.

Well, I tried again today and scanning any card makes the display show it is going to be $2 per hour. Then I used my phone to enable it and it said Free. Just got off the phone with Chargepoint, but they don't have a clue either, but it appears my account is messed up.

So I think:

• You can have free charging on a normal Chargepoint account.
• It should say free on the display if it isn't going to charge you.
• Not sure about this one, but I can use my phone app but no cards...

Have two Chargepoint cards, one for each key fob.

First one was got from AE-PiP for the $25 (6 month subscription). Second one was bought directly from Chargepoint and setup with a $25 online deposit.

Cancelled the AE subscription after a year since usage reports indicated that i was not charging enough to make good of it. This card is now added to the Chargepoint account.

Pay as i go for $2 /hour around town on both cards.

For the AE PiP card, iirc the majority of the Chargepoint stations around the Austin metro are covered under the $25 subscription.

Hope that clears things up somewhat. i've been mostly charging at home (much cheaper, but not as convenient sometimes).

Any more info on this? We just got our card yesterday. We do have both the Austin Energy Connection and we also linked our credit card. Do you still think we'll be charged if we use it here in town?

If so, maybe the best is to remove the credit card link? We really just added the credit card in case we wanted to charge in Round Rock or somewhere, which might be once or twice a year. Besides, the $2 minimum seems like not much of a value unless you're desperate. That's about what it costs to fully charge from empty at home, correct? We're not likely going to be at a station outside the city limits for much more than an hour (assuming I'm eating or shopping).

Anyway, to summarize my real question - Is the best solution two cards or to use the phone/app? Or, did they figure it out and resolve the incorrect charge for a station that should be free for Austin Energy customers with the connected card?

Got my card today. Requested the Austin Energy connection and am awaiting on approval for that.

I am a little disappointed because my work parking garage has a Chargepoint station, but apparently it's not an Austin Energy/Plug in Everywhere station, so I'd still have to pay the $2/hr. The building manager told me it was, though, so maybe it's just not listed online. Will see this week.

Do you guys know if there's a way to filter just the Plug in Anywhere stations on the Chargepoint app or website? Can't see how to do it, and that would be helpful. (And also not zooming in to micro-level when you click on a station would be great.)

Just an update. We have a physical card from Austin Energy and linked out account to a CC, as well. We've used both the card and the app and have never been charged for any station in Austin, whether they show as a for charge or free station.

AustinOski said:

Just an update. We have a physical card from Austin Energy and linked out account to a CC, as well. We've used both the card and the app and have never been charged for any station in Austin, whether they show as a for charge or free station.

Click to expand...

Interesting. I guess I'll just go try it today for an hour and see what happens.

Good news. I checked the station as I left work today. Tapped the card, and it said it was free. So the moral of the story is try it even if it doesn't say it's free on the Chargepoint/Austin Energy map.

Now it's just a matter of the station being available. (If someone on the board owns the white Leaf that uses the station in the Cheesecake factory parking garage at the Arboretum, let me know so we can work out how to share it).