Today in Cleantech

NRG Energy is rolling out EV chargers in Dallas based on a subscription plan similar to cell phone contracts. The interesting part of the plan is that NRG Energy will install the home charger in exchange for a three year contract at $50 a month. What’s of concern is the $90 plan where in addition to the home charging station, drivers can access NRG’s fast DC chargers at places like malls. What’s going on with the EV charging infrastructure right now is a land grab aimed at locking up key charging real estate and making charging networks proprietary. This is an awful system for EV owners and for the automakers selling EVs. Imagine having to subscribe to one gas company and only being able to fill up at Chevron.  Charging stations need to function with a simple financial transaction per charge so that competition between charging stations can occur and so that drivers can have access to the maximum number of stations. EV sales are already slower than hoped. Let’s not make this more complicated.