When it’s cheaper to charge your electric car at BP Pulse stations

BP Pulse has started rolling out time-based pricing at a number of its public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Australia.

The company detailed this move to peak and off-peak charging prices in an email to customers amid electricity market pricing rising.

For now BP Pulse has introduced this variable charging pricing at certain locations in New South Wales. Chargers in Victoria and Queensland appear to remain with the existing fixed-price charging for now.

As an example, the BP Pulse charging station in Heatherbrae, New South Wales now charges two different prices depending on the day and time.

On weekdays from 7AM to 10PM pricing at the Heatherbrae station is $0.60kWh per kWh, and on all weekends and weekdays from 10 PM to 7AM pricing is $0.50 per kWh.

Based on the pricing at this station in New South Wales, the cost of fully charging a Tesla Model Y RWD with its 60kWh battery pack varies between $30 and $36, depending on day and time.

For now pricing at the majority of the other BP Pulse charging stations remains fixed at $0.55 per kWh.

This move to peak and off-peak charging prices follows Tesla introducing a similar structure at select Supercharging stations. Chargefox has also trialled variable pricing in South Australia at RAA- and Engie-operated sites.

BP Pulse is set to celebrate 12 months since opening its first EV charging site in Australia next month.

For now the company only has Tritium-supplied chargers that offer both CHAdeMO and CCS plugs, capable of charging at a rate of up to 75kW each – but the company says the stations are capable of being upgraded to 150kW.

MORE: BP Pulse opens first EV chargers in Australia