Electric car owners are set for a major increase in costs after a charging company revealed it is hiking its prices. Electric charging firm Ubitricity is increasing its prices by 33%.
The company has increased its prices from 24p/kWh to 32p/kWh from April 4, 2022. On top of this customers will also face a 35p connection fee change per session.
Ubitricity said it has been forced to increase its prices due to electricity and gas prices soaring to 'unprecedented levels'. The company, which is owned by Shell, said it had attempted to hold off increasing its prices but could no longer do so.
Poppy Mills, Ubitricity UK's commercial and strategy director, said: “The price increases we have seen in the energy market over the last year have meant that we have had to take the decision to increase our prices. Doing this means that we can ensure that we have the right people and processes in place to manage our network. We remain committed to building and maintaining a sustainable EV charging infrastructure that the UK needs as we begin the transition to net-zero.”
By increasing its prices Ubitricity said it would still be able to install new charging points across the country and provide customers with a well-maintained network. It added that most of the company's charging points would be switched onto the new tariff by May but some may take a few months due to councils having different processes for pricing.
In a statement on its website, Ubitricity said: "Since the middle of 2021, electricity and gas prices in the UK have increased to unprecedented levels. This increase has driven up bills for many consumers, too – Ofgem recently announced that the annual energy price cap would rise by 54% on 1st April 2022. We’ve avoided increasing prices for as long as possible, but we can no longer absorb all of the extra costs, so we have had to change our pricing to reflect wholesale prices."
