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- EG Group introduced live pricing for totem poles in 2021, but has it caught on?
With unleaded fuel and diesel prices clearly displayed before drivers enter the service station, it’s easy to compare prices and know if they’re being ripped off.
It gives clarity and transparency on how much it will cost to refuel per liter.
But what about electric vehicle charging signage?
How are you expected to know how much you’ll have to pay before you go online and receive a potentially nasty download?
Do electric vehicle charging stations have surveys with unit prices at service stations and charging centers? And if not, when are they coming?
We take a look at EV charging signage and pricing, and the latest regulations that aim to give EV drivers greater transparency and ease when it comes to charging their car.
The first EV charging price was added to service station poles in 2021, but EG Group remains the outlier in doing so, leaving electric car owners unclear about charging prices in other places.
What signage is currently present at highway charging points and service stations?
At the moment there is very little signage showing electric vehicle owners how much they will pay to charge at motorway service stations or charging centres.
In fact, in 2021, EG Group became the first charging point operator to introduce station posts with unit charging prices on its ultra-fast chargers.
In 2024, EG Group was still the outlier to have this signage, something that was implemented at 50 of its sites.
So, don’t expect to drive up to the chargers and see big signs with EV charging prices.
Why isn’t there more signage at electric vehicle charging points?

Motor Fuel Group has said it will “comply” and introduce signage where “mandatory”
Currently, government regulation does not explicitly require toll operators to post prices on the boards, so most do not do so.
Despite campaign groups including FairCharge and RAC calling for tokens to be charged for switching and for totems to be priced, the idea has been slow to take off among providers other than EG.
Some rival operators have said they will take the measure when the Government updates its policy.
Motor Fuel Group told Forecourt Trader in April: “The issue is continually under review and if it were mandatory in the UK, MFG would comply.”
Other industry bodies have flagged the expense of deploying signage, with Brian Donaldson, chief executive of The Maxol Group, calling for “longer lead times to prepare both operationally and financially”.
Donaldson said: ‘Price comparison signage should not be introduced at the expense of the rollout of electric vehicle charging facilities at service stations.
“The principle is good, but the application needs more consideration.”
How do I know how much they will charge me to charge my car?

From November 2024, all new charging points will have to clearly display the p/kWh and the total amount a user will have to pay, either on a screen or through a payment app or website.
The cost of charging electric vehicles is calculated by the price per kWh: that is the price of the tariff.
Last year, the Government updated regulations, requiring a clear p/kWh tariff price so that people can easily know how much they will be charged.
This figure, for example 24.5p/kWh, will be displayed on the charger.
This includes connection fees.
The cost p/kWh must be displayed at the charging point itself or through the prompt payment application or website. You will often see prices on digital screens on chargers or on stickers on those without screens.
Many chargers on the street will have QRs to scan and then show you the p/kWh.
If you want to check the price of a charger in advance, search through your car’s infotainment system or use a charger locator app like ZapMap.
According to the regulations, all new public charging points with a power of more than 8 kW and existing charging points of more than 50 kW will require a contactless payment solution from November 2024.
The standard applies to all public slow, fast, fast and ultra-fast charging points.
Do all EV chargers now offer contactless payment?

Contactless payment on all chargers over 8 KW is mandatory from November 2024
This was also addressed in the updated 2024 regulations.
All new public charging points of 8kW or more (typically street chargers, such as streetlight chargers) must now have a contactless payment solution.
All existing charging points over 50 kW also require a contactless payment solution from November 2024 and applies to all slow, fast, fast and ultra-fast public charging points.
