A few days ago, ChargEV notified its app users that a RM150 pre-authorisation amount would be imposed on EV charging sessions from 2nd October 2024. Now it appears that the Charge Point Operator has deferred the implementation until further notice.
According to a response made on Facebook, the notice was merely a “selective test” as part of their efforts to improve their customer experience. According to ChargEV, the notice was only a banner and no actual deployment were carried out, and they apologised for the confusion.
On 30th September, we received a notice in the app that a pre-authorisation hold will be introduced which leads to a dedicated FAQ page. According to the FAQ published on the same day, the pre-authorisation hold was introduced to ensure a secure, seamless charging and efficient billing from 2nd October 2024.
The FAQ states that RM150 or SGD 50 will be held temporarily on your card and any unused balance will be released immediately. It added that users can expect to see a refund in their bank transaction history within 2-14 days depending on the bank.
ChargEV has started to deploy payment card terminals at selected EV charging locations such as their Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) assisted chargers at KLGCC in Bukit Kiara. The card terminals also require an RM150 pre-authorisation amount to activate their AC and DC charge points.
While the pre-authorisation hold is standard practice on most card terminals for both EV chargers and petrol pumps, it is still uncommon when it comes to EV charging apps in Malaysia. Most EV charging apps typically only charge the card upon completion or require users to maintain a minimum Wallet balance before initiating a charging session.
