ANWB introduces the automatic shutdown function in the ANWB Charging Pass app in the Netherlands. This feature prevents blocking charges overnight when the battery is full. Blocking rates are prevented after 11:00 pm.
Charging stations can charge what’s called a blocking fee if a charging station is occupied for too long. This is a time-based rate that’s higher than the electricity price, and which public charging station providers want to use to prevent cars from continuing to occupy the station while their batteries are already full.
According to the ANWB, almost one in three Dutch public charging stations charges this price, often also at night. But As far as the organization is concerned The ban rates exceed their target at midnight. “Everyone should be able to charge their car at night without having to get out of bed to avoid additional costs,” the ANWB said. That’s why an automatic stop function is now being introduced. This function automatically stops the charging session between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when the battery is full, so no additional costs are incurred. If the battery is full before 11 p.m., the charging session will not be stopped, because the ANWB considers it “reasonable to remove the car from the charging station.”
The organization also wants to start a discussion about blocking rates. ANWB believes that the time frame after which the blocking rate takes effect and the amount of the rate should be proportional to the intended use of the charging station and location. “In other words, the blocking rate should be intended to prevent charging stations from being blocked and not be an additional revenue model for charging station providers. The latter seems to be the case at the moment. For example, there are charging station providers who charge a blocking rate from the first minute.”
The ANWB says it has already submitted comments to Allego, the main provider of charging stations in the Netherlands. On this basis, the company has announced that it will adjust the blocking rate from September 1, 2024. From now on, the price will only be charged for a session of more than four hours and the hours between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. are excluded.