SAGINAW,  Mich. (Michigan News Source) – People that drive electric vehicles and want to charge up using the city of Saginaw’s public charging stations will see some of their rates more than double.

The city is hiking the rates, saying the original rates set in 2022 were too low and the city was subsidizing motorists charging their EVs at the city charging stations.

MORE NEWS: Lansing Schools Had An Ambitious Goal to Add Students; They Haven’t Reached It

The rates at six of the stations will increase from 12 cents a kilowatt-hour to 25 cents and then two fast-charge stations will up their rates from 16 cents to 30 cents.

“Since the installation of these chargers, the City has subsidized the maintenance cost to provide the chargers to the public at a low rate,” a memo from City Manager Timothy Morales stated.

The city stated in 2024, it brought in $11,900 in revenue and spent $17,831 on the charging stations, losing $5,931.

Kelley Blue Book reported this month that the U.S. household average is 15.95 cents a kilowatt-hour, but added it is typically less expensive to charge an EV at home than at a public charging station.

In 2020, the city of Saginaw received grants from Consumers Energy and the state’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to install eight electric vehicle charging stations at four locations. It was pitched as a “major step towards the future” and “the rapidly evolving way to travel.”