Electric-car charger ‘idle fees’ coming to Western Australia network

Motorists in Western Australia will have to pay extra fees if they leave their electric vehicles plugged into chargers after their batteries have been topped up.

The ‘idle fees’ will be introduced for all Chargefox chargers in Western Australia from 18 July 2023, with electric-car owners to pay $1 per minute when their vehicles are left plugged in – after a 10-minute grace period.

The fee will apply regardless of how busy the charging station is.

The announcement – made by a spokesperson for electricity company Synergy to the Tesla Owners Club of WA – confirms a June announcement from Chargefox, which manages the chargers for the West Australia EV Network.

It’s understood the fees will apply to the RAC Electric Highway, which also uses Chargefox chargers.

Idle fees are designed to discourage motorists from occupying plugs after their vehicle has been fully charged, freeing up the spot for others who may need to use it.

In Australia, Tesla currently bills customers a $0.50/minute idle fee on its Superchargers when more than half of the stations are occupied, and $1/minute when all Superchargers spots are in use – with fees waived if the vehicle is moved within five minutes of being charged.

Owners are notified via the Tesla or Chargefox smartphone app when charging is nearly complete, and again when their vehicle has been fully charged.

Once it has been completed, the West Australia EV Network will be the country’s longest, with 98 plugs available across 49 locations – extending along the coastal region from the South Australia border to the far north of the state.