Major changes are coming to popular retail chain in Hungary from beginning of November

As expected, another retail chain, Penny, is following the example set by Lidl in Hungary. Charging e-cars will no longer be free of charge in Penny car parks. The retail chain was the last one to offer free charging opportunities in numerous locations in the country. The changes are happening sooner than you might expect. Here are the details regarding the pricing.

Example set by Lidl

We reported earlier HERE that electric car charging will no longer be free in Lidl car parks. The changes took effect from the 5th of September. When it comes to pricing, you may get a better deal by using the Lidl Plus app. As mentioned previously, the prices at Lidl are as follows:

• Using the Lidl Plus app: HUF 149/kWh (EUR 0.39) on AC charger, HUF 179/kWh (EUR 0.47) on DC charger
• Using the Lidl website: HUF 199/kWh (EUR 0.52) on AC charger, HUF 229/kWh (EUR 0.60) on DC charger.

New chapter begins at Penny Market

As reported by Portfolio, there are currently over 70 electric car charging points operated by Penny Market in Hungary. These electronic car charging points have been available non-stop and free to use until now. As mentioned above, after eight years, Lidl discontinued this free service. As a result, Penny car parks became the last place in Hungary where people could charge their cars for free. Naturally, people started sharing this information on various platforms, causing the service to become overcrowded. Penny Market is ending the situation by introducing a paid system. Another reason for this change might be the ongoing energy crisis. Businesses may prefer people to charge their electric cars at home due to the rising energy prices.

The pricing

The pricing will be set in line with Lidl’s prices and will be effective from the 1st of November. The price for AC charging with a charging capacity of 22kW per point will be HUF 179/kWh (EUR 0.47). Unlike at Lidl, the tariff is fixed, so it does not matter if you are using the app or the website of the provider. Electric car charging can be initiated via the Polyfazer app or website. Penny Market has highlighted that the chargers are operated by V4 Plus Ltd., so you should contact them if you have any concerns. If you are considering buying an electric car, you might want to read about the Chinese electric car brand that is arriving in the Hungarian market first in the region.