EVgo DC chargers were horrible up until the beginning of 2018. They're still not perfect, but improvement is being made.

[BoltEV]

So is the current more sane EVgo pricing also the result of CA pressure ?

California PUC has no influence on the price structure.

New owner of EVgo and market competition is causing all EV charging to be more competitive.

These units will never be as cheap as home rates unless, like in Los Angeles, free units are subsidized by municipalities.

[summit]

These units will never be as cheap as home rates unless...

yes and no, it's relative. There are a number of variables to consider, but only if you are "obsessive", like yours truly.

1. Because the rate is per minute and the charge rate depends on the pack SOC. Typically, the charge rate is around 44 kw below 70-75% SOC. Let's use round numbers to keep it simple, say you start charging at 25% SOC for 30-min, which puts in roughly 22kwh. The current EVgo price of $0.20/min translates to $6/22kwh =~ $0.27/kwh

2. It also depends on your residence rate, whether you are on solar EV6, standard TOU rate, and the residence current tier bracket.

As an example, I am on EV6 rate, the summer off-peak tier 2 is $0.265 and winter tier 2 is $0.27; so essentially a wash. But if I consider that I am EVgo charging during peak rate hours (1pm-7pm), my residence tier 2 rate is $0.46/kwh

[SparkE]

Typically, the charge rate is around 44 kw below 70-75% SOC.

No. The Bolt's charge profile is :

* 150A until about 50% SoC (if available)
* about 105A between ~50% - ~70% SoC (if available)

If you are using a 100A ("50 kW") DCFC (EVgo has quite a few of these) you will charge between 34-ish and 38-ish kW up until 70% SoC, when the rate will drop when the car decides to pull fewer amps. (That's because the amps will remain constant while the battery pack voltage rises from around 335V to above 370V.)

If you are using a 125A (also called "50 kW") DCFC, then you will pull between 43 and 46 kW up until around 50% SoC, when the car decides to pull only about 105 amps, at which point the charge rate will drop down to about 38-39 kW until around 70% SoC, when it will drop to pulling 24kW (370V / 65A).

If you are using a 150A -or higher- DCFC (EVgo doesn't have many of these) then you will pull between 52 and 55 kW up until around 50% SoC, when the car decides to pull only about 105 amps, ...just like above ...

So, using a 125A charger up to around 50% SoC (not 70%), your cost numbers are fairly accurate. Using a 100A DCFC will cost more per kWh, 150A will cost less. (The Bolt won't ever pull more than 150A even if available).

So, if you use a 125A DCFC to go from about 10% to about 50% (22 kWh), it will take about 30 minutes, 30*0.2=$6 : 6/22= 27 cents/kWh.

If you use a 150A DCFC to go from about 10% to about 50% (22 kWh), it will take about 25 minutes, 25*0.2=$5 : 5/22= 23 cents/kWh.

IF you have a 125A EVgo unit reasonably placed, and if think you can easily and conveniently put 50 kWh into your Bolt at lower SoC, subscribing to EVgo might be a good way to go, as the per-minute charge is $0.15 when you subscribe - it costs $10/mo, but the first $10 (66 minutes) of fast charging is included.

If you use a 125A DCFC for 20 minutes when between 10% - 50% state of charge, 15 kWh, 20min @ .15= $3. If you do that 3 times a month (to use up the "free, included" DCFC minutes) you only pay about $0.20/kWh and still have the cheaper rate available for traveling. It's even less expensive (per kWh) if you have a 150A DCFC available.

[keijidosha]

Baker, Ca site now showing all 6 chargers active;

"Dec 13, 2018
Astrid and Niska are original 50kWh.
Chance and Ollie are new 100kWh.
Ivo and Janus are new 350kWh.
All are same $0.20/min but I expect that to change in future with 2019 cars that can actually take advantage of those ultrafast charging rates."

https://www.plugshare.com/location/157532

[GetOffYourGas]

Glad they are still expanding in CA. It seems like they've stopped building in the Northeast. Electrify America is the only one actually putting hardware in the ground around here.

[rcedwards]

Used EVgo for my new Chevy Bolt for this first time at the Tacoma Mall in Washington.

Charged from 40% to 70% in 30 minutes. Cost $4.95 + 30 times $0.20. Or about $10.95 for 18KW.

Not very useful. Will avoid in the future.

[jasony]

Why the connection fee? Did you not delete the old plan and add the new pay as you go plan?

[rcedwards]

Thanks jasony, you are right.

Apparently I was using an obsolete plan (Flex).

I've updated to the newer pay as you go plan. It allows for 45-minutes of charging and no connection fee. This makes EVgo more attractive.

The Chevy Bolt allows for 150 amps of DC. The EVgo screen reported 110 amps maximum at 40% SOC. I'm not sure if this was a limitation of the charger, or if it was limited because there was a BMW I3 using DCFC on the adjacent charger.

In any case, the Bolt is an excellent vehicle. It is better in every way than my former 2013 Nissan LEAF.

The Bolt has so much range that I don't need DCFC, I was merely testing it while the car is under warranty.

[GetOffYourGas]

I have yet to see an EVGo charger that supplies more than 120A. Most supply 100A. More powerful ones are rare although supposedly they are coming.

[BoltEV]

Keyes Chevy ("Keyes, Keyes, Keyes: Keyes on Van Nuys" sung to the tune of the Beach Boys: Barbara Ann! hahahaha) had a super-duper DCFC that I was pretty sure met the advertised claim of 90 miles in 30 minutes.

I used it often (fresh baked cookies and coffee in the waiting room) but before I got a chance to test out that claim, it went belly up.

The dealer claimed they could not get parts from Korea and replaced it with a boring 50 KWh one.