No more free charging at Costco Electrify America?

[mutro]

When I purchased the car, I was informed that Porsche would pay for the first year of our charging at Electrify America. Thus I was surprised when at the end of a charging session yesterday at EA Costco in San Luis Obispo, we were charged for the charging session. I had charged at this same station a few weeks back and was not charged at all.

Checking on the internet, I see notations that EA no longer owns the EA stations at Costco (?) Yet, the locations still shows as Electrify America station on my Porsche app. So why should this transaction affect us as drivers as to our free charge usage at these particular EA stations? The agreement of first year free charge at EA stations was between Porsche and us as the customers. Not an agreement between us and EA.

As a matter of principal, Porsche needs to honor their word to the customers.

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[alxman]

About three months ago I was charged at an EA station in Atlanta. I called Porsche to complain and they promised to look into it. Didn’t hear back for a couple of weeks so I contacted them again and this time I discussed the issue with a “Connect and Charging Expert”. He said that he will escalate the case and send it to the engineering team in Germany. About a month later I was reimbursed for the charge. Have not had any problems since then.

 

[Paris92]

I also used that brand new Costco EA location in SLO "for free" when driving home from PECLA in May. There was an announcement shortly following that noting the COSTCO EA locations are no longer included in our free period.

 

[dbsb3233]

I also used that brand new Costco EA location in SLO "for free" when driving home from PECLA in May. There was an announcement shortly following that noting the COSTCO EA locations are no longer included in our free period.

Yes, some EA stations are EA branded but not EA owned. The free charging deal from Porsche is presumably limited to the EA owned stations. (Although some other owners still choose to participate, but apparently not Costco.)

If you check the EA app/map, it shows the ones that aren't owned by EA in a different color, with the caveat that "Some pricing plans are not accepted at this site", with more detail in the Pricing tab.

Just need to check beforehand. Also note that the Costco ones don't accept Pass+ discount either.

 

[daveo4EV]

Yes, some EA stations are EA branded but not EA owned.

Electrify America - a brand you can trust!

that is what my experience with them has taught me since July of 2020

if this is Costco's path forward I might have to sell my stock before the EA brand taints Costco.

 

[dbsb3233]

if this is Costco's path forward I might have to sell my stock before the EA brand taints Costco.

It would appear that it is. Costco looks like they're using the EA platform and infrastructure, but own the hardware and set their own prices separate from the rest of the EA network.

The one EA Costco station in my area is priced at 49c/kWh while the other EA stations nearby are 56c. Seems fairly consistent with Costco's gas pricing approach.

 

[Wivenhoe]

Yes, some EA stations are EA branded but not EA owned. The free charging deal from Porsche is presumably limited to the EA owned stations. (Although some other owners still choose to participate, but apparently not Costco.)

If you check the EA app/map, it shows the ones that aren't owned by EA in a different color, with the caveat that "Some pricing plans are not accepted at this site", with more detail in the Pricing tab.

Just need to check beforehand. Also note that the Costco ones don't accept Pass+ discount either.

I presume the free charging at EA owned sites is because VW own EA. It’s a shame they don’t offer the same here in the UK where they are a part owner of IONITY

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