Chargefox responds to $30 EV charging payment concerns, confirms only one hold at a time
Australian electric vehicle charging provider Chargefox has responded to concerns surrounding its new $30 pre-authorisation policy, providing additional information about how the payment system will operate for motorists travelling throughout Australia.
The clarification follows a formal complaint lodged by BitWaves station manager and Tesla owner Marc Littlewood, who questioned whether customers undertaking regional and interstate journeys could potentially accumulate hundreds of dollars in temporary payment authorisations.
Chargefox has now confirmed that only one $30 pre-authorisation can be active at a time.
The response addresses one of the main concerns raised following the company's original announcement, although questions remain about how long customers may have funds temporarily unavailable while waiting for their banks to release the authorisation.
What is Chargefox changing?
Chargefox recently advised customers that a $30 pre-authorisation would be introduced when commencing charging sessions across its network.
The company explained that the change was intended to improve payment reliability, reduce failed transactions and help ensure charging infrastructure remained available to motorists.
A pre-authorisation is a temporary hold placed on a customer's payment card before a transaction is completed.
It is not an additional charging fee, and customers will ultimately only pay for the electricity they consume.
However, Chargefox warned that the release of funds may take several business days, depending on the customer's financial institution.
The announcement prompted questions about the potential impact on drivers making multiple charging stops, particularly those using debit cards during longer journeys.
Chargefox has also updated its official App Store listing to explain that a temporary payment hold may be applied before charging begins, with an additional reminder displayed in the application. App Store
Chargefox confirms only one $30 hold can be active at a time
In a written response to Littlewood's complaint, Chargefox acknowledged concerns about the potential cumulative impact of its new payment arrangements.
The company provided a significant clarification regarding how the authorisations will operate.
Chargefox confirmed that customers commencing another charging session while an existing $30 pre-authorisation remains active will not receive a second authorisation.
This means the previously raised scenario of five charging sessions generating $150 in simultaneous holds, or ten sessions generating $300, will not occur under the arrangements Chargefox has described.
The clarification is particularly relevant to EV owners who prefer several shorter charging stops rather than longer sessions during regional and interstate journeys.
However, the company also confirmed that the pre-authorisation and the final charging payment are processed separately.
This means customers may temporarily see both the $30 payment hold and the actual charging cost reflected in their available balance.
What does this mean for a typical EV road trip?
Consider a motorist undertaking an interstate journey involving ten charging stops, purchasing approximately $6 worth of electricity at each location.
The total charging cost would be $60.
Under the arrangements Chargefox has now described, subsequent charging sessions will not generate additional $30 authorisations while the original remains active.
The financial impact therefore differs considerably from the hypothetical examples raised following the original announcement.
The example assumes the same authorisation remains active throughout the journey and does not account for any additional authorisation that might occur after the original is released.
The clarification nevertheless provides reassurance that motorists making consecutive charging stops will not automatically accumulate a new $30 hold for every session.
Why are debit card customers still concerned?
Although Chargefox has addressed the issue of multiple active authorisations, the new policy could still affect customers using debit cards.
Unlike a credit card, where a temporary authorisation generally reduces available credit, a debit card authorisation may restrict access to money held in the customer's bank account.
For someone undertaking a longer journey, that money may be required for accommodation, food, additional charging sessions or unexpected expenses.
Chargefox has acknowledged this concern.
In its response to Littlewood, the company confirmed that even a single $30 hold could affect the available funds on a debit card.
It also acknowledged that the release timeframe may be inconvenient for customers.
The company's official Help Centre states that the pre-authorisation is not reduced by the value of the charging session and that the temporary hold and final payment are separate transactions.
Consequently, a customer purchasing $6 worth of electricity may temporarily have $36 reflected in the reduction of their available funds until the $30 authorisation is released.
The final cost of the electricity remains $6. Chargefox
What happens if the bank hasn't released the money?
One question remains outstanding following Chargefox's response.
The company has confirmed that only one $30 pre-authorisation can be active at a time.
However, it has also advised that the release of an authorisation may take several business days, depending on the customer's bank.
This raises a question about what happens when Chargefox has submitted a release request, but the customer's financial institution has not yet made the funds available.
Would commencing another charging session trigger a new authorisation even though the previous $30 remains unavailable in the customer's account?
Or does Chargefox's system recognise the outstanding bank hold and prevent a second authorisation until the original funds have become available again?
The distinction is important when considering the potential impact on customers undertaking journeys over several days.
Further clarification has been requested.
Some Chargefox customers will be exempt
Chargefox also confirmed that the new pre-authorisation requirement will not apply to every charging arrangement.
According to the company, exemptions include free charging stations and customers using a Chargefox subscription, voucher balance or centralised fleet billing.
The company also confirmed that the $30 authorisation does not represent a charging limit.
If a customer purchases more than $30 worth of electricity during a session, they will still be charged the full cost of the electricity consumed.
Chargefox has published these arrangements in its official Help Centre, providing customers with additional information about the policy. Chargefox
Australian EV owners react to the announcement
The proposed change has also generated discussion among Australian electric vehicle owners online.
In discussions on Reddit's AustralianEV and EVAustralia communities, motorists raised questions about the size of the authorisation, how quickly funds would be released and whether multiple charging sessions could generate repeated payment holds.
Some contributors expressed concern about the potential impact on debit card users, particularly those undertaking longer journeys.
Others considered the policy a reasonable way for charging providers to protect themselves against failed transactions after electricity had already been supplied.
Several participants also pointed out that pre-authorisations were already common in other industries, including accommodation and pay-at-pump fuel services.
One discussion specifically questioned whether charging sessions interrupted by equipment faults could result in repeated authorisations.
Chargefox's subsequent clarification that only one pre-authorisation can be active at a time addresses an important element of those concerns.
The online discussions reflect individual opinions and experiences rather than a representative survey of Australian EV owners. Reddit
What does this mean for South Australian motorists?
The announcement is particularly relevant to EV owners travelling throughout regional South Australia.
The RAA Charge network has significantly expanded access to public charging infrastructure across the state, including locations where alternative charging options may be limited.
The network was established with the support of a $12.35 million grant from the South Australian Government.
According to the government, the network includes more than 140 charging locations, with approximately 75 per cent located in regional areas.
It provides a combination of destination charging and rapid and ultra-rapid charging infrastructure, allowing motorists to travel between metropolitan Adelaide and regional communities. Department for Environment and Water
Customers using the RAA Charge network can initiate sessions and complete payments through the Chargefox application.
This makes Chargefox's payment arrangements particularly relevant to South Australians relying on RAA charging infrastructure during longer journeys. RAA
For motorists travelling between Adelaide, Whyalla, Port Lincoln and other regional destinations, access to reliable charging infrastructure remains an important consideration.
The clarification regarding multiple authorisations provides greater certainty for those planning journeys involving several charging stops.
However, understanding the timing of payment holds and their release remains relevant for customers managing their available funds while travelling.
Who owns Chargefox?
Chargefox is wholly owned by Australian Motoring Services, which is owned by Australia's six major motoring organisations.
These include RAA, NRMA, RACV, RACQ, RAC WA and RACT.
Australian Motoring Services acquired full ownership of Chargefox in 2022.
The company has since continued developing its role as a software and payment platform connecting EV drivers with charging infrastructure operated by organisations across Australia. Chargefox
Chargefox passes customer suggestions to policy team
In its response to Littlewood, Chargefox confirmed that several suggested alternatives had been recorded and forwarded to the team responsible for developing the policy.
These included smaller payment holds, daily limits, prepaid charging balances and additional safeguards for customers making multiple charging stops.
The company did not commit to introducing these alternatives or changing the proposed $30 authorisation amount.
However, its response provides customers with greater clarity about how the new arrangements are intended to operate.
The confirmation that only one authorisation can be active at a time addresses the central concern about repeated charging sessions automatically generating multiple simultaneous holds.
Questions remain regarding the timing of bank releases and whether customers could experience overlapping pending transactions after an earlier authorisation has been released by Chargefox but not yet cleared by their financial institution.
For motorists undertaking longer journeys, these details will help determine the practical impact of the new policy.
BitWaves will continue to follow developments and report any further clarification regarding Chargefox's payment arrangements.
Editor's note – 25 September 2026
This article was originally published on 22 September 2026 and has been substantially updated following a direct response from Chargefox.
The original article examined a hypothetical scenario in which multiple charging stops could generate $150–$300 in simultaneous pre-authorisation holds.
Chargefox has since confirmed that only one $30 pre-authorisation can be active at a time. The original examples have been removed and replaced with the company's clarified payment arrangements.
The headline and article have also been updated to reflect this new information.