Half Moon Bay To Change Public EV Charging Rates

HALF MOON BAY, CA —Half Moon Bay will replace its hourly fee at certain city-operated electric vehicle charging stations with a rate based on electricity consumption beginning Sunday, Nov. 1.

Drivers will pay 48 cents per kilowatt-hour instead of $1 per hour under a pricing change approved by the City Council on Oct. 6, according to the city's public charging announcement.

Under the previous hourly rate, drivers could pay the same amount even if their vehicles received different amounts of electricity. The new system bases charges on actual energy use.

At the new rate, a 20-kilowatt-hour charging session will cost $9.60, while a 50-kilowatt-hour session will cost $24.

City officials said a review found that the hourly fee, established in 2015, no longer covered the costs of providing public charging. Those expenses include electricity, network services, maintenance and transaction fees.

The revised pricing aims to cover more of those costs and reduce the city's reliance on general fund subsidies.

Half Moon Bay also plans to explore utility-rate changes, electrical service improvements and dedicated metering to lower operating expenses. Officials said those upgrades will depend on each location's needs and available funding.

The city expects the combination of pricing and infrastructure changes to improve the program's financial sustainability, although the new rate alone may not eliminate its operating deficit.

The updated pricing applies to affected city-operated public charging stations, not privately operated facilities. Drivers should check the posted rate or charging app before beginning a session.

Additional information is available on the city's EV charging webpage.