Parking Advisory Committee Discusses EV Charging Station Fees

By Barbara Taormina

The city is crafting a program for the use of its 12 EV charging stations. The Parking Advisory Committee met this week to continue its discussion on rates, revenue and possible penalties for drivers who overstay their welcome parked at the city’s charging stations. Transportation Coordination Julie DiMauro explained a range of options for fees to the committee. Members agreed the charging stations are not intended to make a profit. However, they also agreed that users should pay for the electricity needed to charge their vehicles and the fee should cover the 10 percent upcharge that goes to ChargePoint, the company that provides the software and system that operates the stations and tracks users and fees owed to the city.

Committee members also favored fees that allow the city to put aside some money for maintenance and repairs. DiMauro said there was one problem with damage at a station when a driver pulled out without disconnecting a car. That was a $1,400 bill not covered by insurance or any programing.

City CFO Richard Viscay said the city has established a revolving fund to pay for EV station repairs and maintenance. Viscay favored adequate fees and penalties to feed the revolving fund and pay for any needed repairs or upkeep.

DiMauro said the use of the charging stations has increased dramatically over the past year. The amount of power dispensed has increased 100 percent; the number of users is up 100 percent; and even the use by city workers for vehicles for the parking and engineering departments has increased 41 percent. The busiest stations are at the City Hall parking lot and the lot on Shirley Avenue.

She said, on average, it takes two hours to charge a vehicle. That allows the stations to dispense 11 to 15 kilowatts of electricity, which costs between $4.09 and $4.99. The difference in price is due to the fact that at some of the charging stations the fee is 18 cents per kilowatt hour; at other stations it’s 33 cents.

The cost of electricity fluctuates, and the cost of using the EV stations can be adjusted daily to reflect those changes. DiMauro also said the city can also charge fees based on the previous week or month, or simply use a set fee method.

DiMauro did not think reservations are necessary and that turnover at the stations was fast and consistent. However, she did say penalties are an option for drivers who leave their vehicles parked at a station. The stations have the capacity to assess and add a fine for taking a space after a vehicle has been charged, which means no parking enforcement officers would be needed to monitor the stations.

DiMauro did suggest conducting a survey to get a better understanding of the number of electric vehicles registered in the city and the needs and expectations of EV drivers.

The committee voted to table their discussion to give them time to hear from a representative of ChargePoint explain the functions of the system and charging station network.

Two months ago, Revere, Chelsea and Winthrop were awarded a $100,000 grant from the Community Compact Cabinet’s Efficiency and Regionalization Program to develop a regional plan for EV station infrastructure. The goal is to create a plan for charging stations and related electrical infrastructure and a pricing model that is fair and equitable for all three communities.