Volvo, the Swedish car manufacturer, has announced that it will begin charging fees at its charging stations for non-Volvo vehicles starting next week. The fees will apply to around 75% of charging operations, as the majority of users are drivers of other manufacturers’ vehicles. Volvo owners of electric and hybrid cars from Scandinavia will continue to be able to use the charging stations without paying any fees.Volvo, the Swedish car manufacturer, has announced that it will begin charging fees at its charging stations for non-Volvo vehicles starting next week. The fees will apply to around 75% of charging operations, as the majority of users are drivers of other manufacturers’ vehicles. Volvo owners of electric and hybrid cars from Scandinavia will continue to be able to use the charging stations without paying any fees. The fees for non-Volvo drivers are significantly higher than the average charging rates at other private charging stations in Brazil. Volvo will charge a one-time connection fee of $0.50, a per-kilowatt-hour rate of $0.80, and an idle fee of $1.00 per minute after a 15-minute grace period at fast chargers along highways. These fees will also apply to Volvo customers. Volvo has stated that they made this decision to continue expanding and improving their charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. The company has invested $14 million in installing over 1,000 charging stations throughout Brazil since 2017, with plans to install an additional 101 fast-charging stations across the country.
Starting next Wednesday (10), Volvo will start charging fees at the charging stations it has installed. According to the Swedish company, the fees will only apply to vehicles from other manufacturers, which account for around 75% of charging operations, and owners of electric and hybrid cars from Scandinavia will be able to use the points without any form of compensation.
The prices are scary and far from the average — from R$2 to R$2.50 — for other private charging stations in the country. The carmaker charges a one-time connection fee of R$2.50 when you start using the fast charger and R$4 per kilowatt hour.
In addition, an idle fee of R$ 5 per minute will be charged (with a tolerance period of 15 minutes and charging from minute 16, at fast chargers along highways). This fee will also be charged to Volvo customers.
“We have helped pave the way for electrification in Brazil and we are pleased to follow the growing integration of this project outside our brand. As a result, the infrastructure for servicing electric vehicles is expected to mature further. This is another step needed to continue our development in a safe and comprehensive way, and to improve our services, monitoring and coverage,” said Marcelo Godoy, President of Volvo Cars Brazil.
The Swedish company began installing chargers throughout Brazil in 2017, with wallbox models and strategic points such as shopping malls, markets and public parks. By 2021, there were a thousand points. The following year, the company began implementing fast charging infrastructure and installing its first highway charging station, announcing an investment of R$ 70 million.
The brand’s idea is to install 101 fast-charging stations across the country. So far, 52 points have been installed, which, according to the Swedish company, amounts to a total of 19,000 kilometers of roads and 37 connected routes. In 2023, 40,000 charging sessions will be carried out, which is equivalent to 1 million kilowatt hours of consumption, which confirms Volvo’s decision to charge.
“We would like to thank all customers using our charging station network, including consumers of other manufacturers, who account for 75% of charging. In order to continue our commitment to providing the best service to Volvo customers, we would like to thank them in particular and confirm that they will continue to have free access to charging.
