What is an Occupancy Fee?
An occupancy fee is a charge applied to EV drivers who leave their vehicles plugged into a charging station after their charging session has completed. This fee encourages drivers to unplug and move their vehicles promptly, ensuring that charging stations remain available for other users.
Why Implement Occupancy Fees?
Occupancy fees improve the efficiency and availability of charging stations by discouraging extended parking after charging is complete. This reduces wait times, improves the overall user experience, and ensures that infrastructure is used effectively.
Grace Period
A grace period is a short duration after the charging session ends during which no occupancy fee is charged. This allows drivers a reasonable amount of time to return to their vehicle and vacate the charging spot. If the driver does not return within the given grace period, the occupancy fee will be calculated from the moment the charging session ends.
Setting Up Occupancy Fees
To set up occupancy fees in EV OS:
1. In the side menu, navigate to Site Directory.
2. Select a site, and click Entry Settings.
3. Go to the Pricing tab and choose a charger to configure.
4. Enable occupancy fees by toggling Occupancy Fee & Grace Period.
5. Set the grace period duration and define the hourly occupancy fee charged after the grace period ends.
6. (Optional) Configure the Occupancy Time Period to specify when the fee applies. If not set, the fee will apply at all times.
Example:
If a vehicle completes charging at 10:00 AM and the grace period is 15 minutes, the occupancy fee will start accruing from 10:00 AM if the driver does not return within the grace period. If the fee is $6 per hour, and the vehicle is moved at 10:30 AM, the total occupancy fee would be:
- Elapsed time: 10:30 AM - 10:00 AM = 30 mins = 0.5 hrs.
- Calculation: 0.5 x $6 = $3