ChargeSini Subscription Plan: A license to hog EV charger?

ChargeSini has just unveiled its new subscription plans, which mainly offer discounts to frequent users. These new plans also come with additional perks, including one that is already raising eyebrows in the EV community: free idle fees.

Through this particular “benefit”, ChargeSini essentially allows users to hog a charger up to 4 hours after they finished charging their EV. It is a very odd move as most CPOs would want to improve the availability of their chargers, especially given that Malaysia’s EV infrastructure is still far behind the national target.   

Idle fee is supposed to be a deterrent to hogging

In general, the idea behind idle fees is to ensure that an EV charger is immediately available to other users once the previous user finishes charging. Furthermore, idle fees also allow the charger to generate more revenue for the CP since the faster the turnover period, the more users can utilise the charger.

Idle fees were supposed to be a deterrent since it resulted in a financial cost to hogging. By providing a prolonged waiver on idle fees, not only does it promote hogging, but it also defeats the notion that an EV charging bay is supposed to be just for EV charging and NOT a parking bay.

The real perks – charging discounts and battery health check

For frequent users of ChargeSini chargers, they can enjoy some savings from the new ChargeSini Subscription Plans. Priced at RM19.90 per month, the Charge Plus plan provides 10% discounts on the charging fee for ChargeSini chargers at condominiums, while subscribers can also enjoy 15% discount at the CPO’s public chargers.

There is also the higher-tier option, Charge Pro, which costs RM29.90 per month, offers 12% discounts for condominium chargers and 20% discounts for public chargers. For those who prefer to pay a lump sum fee, they can opt for the annual Charge Max plan instead, which provides the same discount rates as Charge Pro for RM360 per year.

However, do note that ChargeSini subscription plans are subject to a discount cap of RM50 to RM70 per month for the Charge Plus and Charge Pro. The Charge Max also has an annual discount cap of RM900.

Meanwhile, ChargeSini subscription plan customers are also entitled to a free battery health check at Caricarz Automall, which they can redeem 6 months after they activate their subscription plan.