Drivers of electric cars must be clear about the costs prior to a charging session. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) wants to encourage providers of charging cards and charging points to be more transparent and will therefore start inspections on 1 December, ACM announced on Tuesday.
ACM wants it to be clear how much you will pay where for a charging session when choosing and purchasing a charge card. Transparency about the price is still too often left to be desired, says the regulator. “The rules are not new. Now that more and more people are buying an electric car, it is even more important that the rates for charging electric cars are clear. Then people can make an informed choice”, says consumer director Edwin van Houten.
ACM wants consumers to gain insight into how the price of a charging session is structured and that this information is clear prior to the charging session. This can be done via information online or at the charging station itself. In addition, it must be clear afterwards how much has been charged and at what price, so that the driver can compare the amount stated with the amount paid.
Easier to compare
The uncertainty that there is sometimes about the costs has not escaped the government’s attention. Last week, the government announced that charging operators must share real-time information about all publicly accessible charging points in the Netherlands from 1 July 2021. The measure is intended to make it easier for drivers of electric cars to compare prices and find available charging points.
“We are now making it easier to find the lowest price,” said State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven (Infrastructure and Water Management). “Soon you will see at a glance what charging costs. And before you drive there you will know that a charging point is free. That gives certainty and confidence.”