It is now more than twice as expensive to charge an electric vehicle in Norway’s capital, Oslo, than to fill up a gas-powered vehicle.
It was reported in the local newspaper Avisa Oslo that the price of Oslo’s municipal electric car chargers rose dramatically after the city’s budget was approved last week.
As of 2019, the local government began charging citizens for charging their electric vehicles. The prices ranged from 5 to 15 kroner per hour ($2) based on the charger’s output in kilowatts and the time of day, according to The Local.
The charges for the normal late-night and overnight charging have increased by seven times in less than four years.
Now, the Oslo government increased the charging of electric vehicles from NOK 28 to NOK 49 (USD 2.80-4.90) an hour for “normal” recharging during the day and NOK 13 to NOK 39 (USD 1.31-3.94) at night.
Below is the updated pricing:
As a result of the price increase, Norsk elbilforening, the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association, stated that it could no longer support the purchase of an electric vehicle, according to News in English.
“In some cases, it can be twice as expensive to charge an electric car as to fill up with polluting (fossil) fuel,” Christina Bu, secretary general of the el-car organization, told newspaper Finansavisen. She went on to call the rate hike that was imposed literally overnight by the Oslo city government (ironically led by the Greens and Labour parties) as “idiotic.”
Due to public outcry and massive pressure from the Electric Vehicle Association and local EV owners, the Oslo city council has voted to revise the cost of charging on municipal street charging.
“We have communicated how many members who depend on street charging have contacted member services in the Electric Vehicle Association and expressed despair at the price shock,” said Christina Bu.
“The city council acknowledged last week’s charging problem. They stood up for their own climate goals and met the electric drivers,” he continued.
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The new prices still involve an increase from the original price, but the price increase is therefore markedly lower than what the city council decided on 7 December.
These are the prices that come into force over the New Year (the examples are for rate zone 3052 or 3054):
- At charging stations where it now costs NOK 35 ($3.54) an hour at night, after the New Year it will cost NOK 19 ($1.92) per hour. The old rate was NOK 13 ($1.31).
- At charging stations where it now costs NOK 49 ($4.95) per hour during the day, after the New Year it will cost NOK 27 ($2.73) per hour. The old rate was NOK 18 ($1.82).
The price shall enter into force “as soon as possible”. Aftenposten reports that it will be in the New Year. The Electric Vehicle Association has requested that the prices take effect before Christmas.
