Addition of blocking fees on Plugsurfing flat rates in Germany

Dear driver,

We all know how frustrating it can be to arrive at a charge point only to discover that a car is sitting there blocking the space, fully charged, with its owner nowhere to be found.

Some charge point operators have instituted a blocking fee in their rate structure to discourage this practice. We see an increasing trend in our partners employing a blocking fee in certain markets, however drivers using Plugsurfing have not historically been affected by these fees.

At Plugsurfing, we aim to create a carefree charging experience. Blocked chargers stand in the way of a carefree experience for our users, so we want to do our part to ensure that everyone can charge when, where, and how they would like.

Beginning next week on October 6th, we are launching blocking fees in Germany, our largest market, to incentivize drivers to stay at the charger for only as long as they need. The blocking fees are designed to kick in after your car has reached an adequate charge level and penalize only those who block the charger for inordinate amounts of time.

Our new blocking fees are flat-rate and standardized across all charge points in the Plugsurfing network like our charging tariffs in Germany. Beginning October 6th, you can expect the following rates to be applied:

• AC: €0.10/minute after 4h
• DC/HPC: €0.10/minute after 60m

Blocking fees will not be applied at Ionity charge points at this time.

We hope to establish a good community practice where the chargers are occupied by cars that are actively and efficiently charging. 

Since it’s a new practice from our side, we are open to hearing your thoughts and concerns, and improving the process wherever possible. So do reach out to us with any feedback or questions.

Thanks, and see you on the road.

Drive safe,
Plugsurfing