Pricing update: ubitricity reduces standard price

From the 30th November 2022 ubitricity will be rolling out a new pricing structure:

• We will be reducing our standard pricing rate from 49p to 45p per kWh which will be available to all customers for 21 hours of the day
• We will be introducing peak pricing between the hours of 4-7pm. The peak pricing will be 79p per kWh

1. We are lowering our standard price for the majority of the day

We are lowering our standard rates for 21 hours of the day. Outside of 4-7pm all charging will now cost 45p per kWh.

2. Introducing peak hours pricing

We are introducing a peak pricing rate between 4-7PM. The peak pricing will be 79p per kWh.

Electricity isn’t one price throughout the day. Between 4-7pm the price we pay to supply our charge points with electricity more than doubles due to peak demand on the national grid.

Rather than distribute this increased cost throughout our standard pricing. we’ve decided to limit this price increase to a peak window.  This helps ensure we can offer the best value reduced rate to our customers for the majority of the day.

Our own customer data has shown that over 77% of charging typically happens outside of this window, so by having a short three-hour peak window we hope to give our customers the option to avoid these higher charges and access a lower standard rate for the remaining 21 hours of the day.

3. Skip the peak – helping customers to reduce charging costs

Alongside lowering our standard rate from 49p to 45p per kWh, we will also be rolling out our new Smart charging technology to allow customers to skip the peak pricing. Direct access customers who plug in from 12:00PM (midday) will be given the option automatically schedule their charge to start after the peak window has finished (from 7pm).

How to use Smart charging to skip the peak:

Please note: Currently Smart charging is available at 1000 ubitricity charge points. We plan to roll Smart charging to 90% of the network by mid-December.

1. Locate your closest ubitricity charge point. All ubitricity charge points have a small QR code fixed to the lamppost above the socket.
2. After 12:00pm (midday) plug your car into the charge point using the standard type-2 cable that you would use for home or destination charging.
3. Scan the QR code on the plate above the charge point to open the charge point direct access page.
4. Select the ‘Smart charging’ option and we’ll schedule your charge to begin at 7pm after the peak window.

Your charge cable will stay locked until you unlock your car. The charging cable will then unlock and can be removed from the charge point.

If you have any issues starting or completing your charge please contact our customer service team (available 24/7) by calling 0800 024 6279 or emailing support@ubitricity.co.uk

For more information on Smart charging visit our Smart charging page here.

FAQs

Where does this new pricing structure apply?

The new pricing structure is implemented in the following local authorities.

Can the lower rate be accessed on Shell Recharge?

This pricing update will affect all direct access users only (users who scan the QR code at the charge point to start their charge). For Shell Recharge users, this pricing update will be reflected in a standard price increase to 55p per kWh.

How often will prices change?

Between October 2022 and March 2023, we will review our prices monthly. We’ve taken this decision for more regular pricing reviews to ensure the price we charge customers fairly reflects our supply costs. This means that prices will come down if energy supply costs decrease.

Why have you added a connection Fee?

Earlier this year we decided to add a flat connection fee. This fee was added to cover the transactional and operational costs associated with each charging session.

What is ubitricity doing to relieve the impact of the Energy Crisis?

We’re taking the following steps to reduce the impact on your charging costs:
• Developing products which enable you to take advantage of cheaper electricity times
• Ensuring the way we buy our energy is robust, future proof and offers the best possible value