Update to subscription pricing, bolt-ons, and charging partners for new customers

[Rob_at_Onto]

Hi all,

I’m Rob, CEO and co-founder of Onto.

I’m getting in touch today to share an update on changes to our subscription and bolt-on prices, and our charging offering. As I’m sure you know, these are challenging economic times, particularly for a relatively young business like Onto, with inflation continuing to impact our supply chain and the rapid rise of energy costs.

The good news for our active subscribers, which means anyone who currently has a car or who books one by 8th January 2023, is that we will protect your current pricing and charging offering until you swap or return your car. This also means active subscribers have one month to adjust their subscription - such as swapping cars or changing bolt ons - before the changes come into effect.

What’s changing from 9th January 2023?

• There will be updated prices for new bookings across car subscriptions, and mileage & excess waiver bolt-ons.

• Shell will be our primary charging partner. Shell Recharge is the UK’s largest aggregated public charging network, providing access to over 11,000 charging points and 16 charging networks including the recently added EV Power network. All new bookings will continue to get free access to the Shell Recharge network as part of their Onto subscription. The Tesla Supercharger network will still be available to anyone who is driving a Tesla car through an Onto subscription.

• The Instavolt network will be available as a new optional £120 per month bolt-on, saving up to 35% versus standard pay-as-you-go access*.

• We will no longer provide access to the BP Pulse network.

While these changes are unavoidable, we believe our electric car subscriptions continue to represent great value, especially when combined with the flexibility and benefits that we offer.

If you would like to know more about these changes please visit our information page here. Our customer team is also available by phone on 0345 0348 647, Live Chat on the website or you can email us at [email protected].

With best wishes,

Rob and the Onto Team

*Calculation based on an average monthly usage of 250kWh through the Instavolt network at a pay-as-you-go rate of 75p per kWh as of December 2022.

[Jimmi1]

@Rob_at_Onto, As I don’t use them it will not affect me to much , could you not include CPS for us up here and at only .25p per kWh a good price

[K12Beano]

Wow!

That’s a lot to take in.

But my jaw was mostly dropping at InstaVolt (we love InstaVolt)…. How much!!!

[Lindseyanne85]

Wow my local area litterally only has BP (not that they ever work Milton Keynes I guess I’m gonna have to return come January no point having a car I can’t charge

[Koda]

The £120 Bolt on for one single charging network for one month really does give a stark reminder of just how crazy energy prices are at the moment!

If things continue to spiral out of control here, I really can’t see Onto being a sustainable business for the long term. Or at least not in it’s current state. Things would have to change to manage costs whether that’s not offering inclusive charging, carrying an older fleet of cars or at least hanging on to existing models for longer etc.

I suspect as soon as this round of protected pricing comes to an end we’re going to see even more people having to leave as they get priced out of affordability. Nothing really Onto is at fault with here. But costs are rising so much faster than income that it’s just less and less practical unless you desperately need the flexibility. I Don’t think there’s going to be too many long term subscribers who keep cars months or even years at a time anymore.

[mozzauk]

Ouch on the Instavolt bolt-on, that is big charge for a lot of people to swallow.

Some the price changes are crazy,

[Jimmi1]

You can still charge, but you will lose the BP only if u swap

[BenB]

The way I read Rob’s announcement it sounds like only the prices are protected for current customers, but everyone will lose access to BP and Instavolt.

[Jimmi1]

Something that I saw on FB last week made me look at Onto report on companies house.
Not the worst accounts posted from last year that were only posted last month I’ve seen, but can see why this was coming.

[Koda]

" Current subscribers or those who book a car by 8th January 2023 will not be affected by these changes and continue to have access to all three charging networks as part of their subscription until they either swap their car or cancel their subscription. In the event that your car is requested for return through the Refresh & Retire programme then you will maintain access to all 3 charging networks in your new car until at least June 2023."

[BenB]

That’s good news, I must have missed this!

[dolores1976]

I read that differently as;

@Rob_at_Onto

we will protect your current pricing and charging offering until you swap or return your car

So charging offering is included in the protection too

[MisterOaks]

I understand - but I can’t pay nearly £700 for an eC4.

Urgh!

Think I’ll jump in a little 500e before the increase and figure everything out.

[Jimmi1]

Why increase the price of the Ioniq ???
Thought they had been retired ?

[K12Beano]

@MisterOaks

Think I’ll jump in a little 500e before the increase and figure everything out.

Could be the smart move.

Last year I hung onto the Kona for much longer than I had intended because of notice of the price rises. This time around I’m just committing to another car out of my “intended” price range.

I rather suspect (if it’s any good) I will Man-Math myself into holding it for longer - simply because it’ll look relatively good value…. Otherwise my plan had been to downsize to Zoe or even e500

Gotta laugh! Otherwise there’s a lot of crying over spilt milk…. All inevitable really.

[mozzauk]

Still a few kicking around but that car has 2 massive price rises in the last year

[T27frl]

Personally I can’t see new customers willing to pay the proposed prices so I wonder how long before existing customers who choose to hang on to their current cars will see their payments rise? Also where I live Shell chargers are few and far between

[jackmanclose]

Hmmm. I mean, if things are staying as they are for me as an existing customer, then fine - but the issue will be when my car gets refreshed/retired. I wouldn’t be willing to stay with Onto on these new prices particularly with the drastic reduction in charging network availability (there are a few Shell chargers here but not many, and that pricing for Instavolt is daft).

Does anyone have any thoughts on when a Zoe GT Line + which was brand new (delivery mileage) when it was first delivered to me in August 2022 might head for refresh/retirement?

[P26BOW]

Wow, Seriously, just how long can both ONTO and it’s customers continue to haemorrhage cash like this, it’s pushing both sides to the limit surely.

This just continues to become less sustainable for me. Will look forward to looking at their books on companies house next year.

[ElectricBug]

Wow long distances without instavolt will be painful. Shell recharge does not have enough chargers at all.
Can we advance book a swap a few months from now to keep the three charging networks?