Bluedot charging network / debit card

[msadan]

Since there have been a few posts lately about the cost of DCFC I though that I would share my experience with Bluedot. If you're not familiar with it, it's basically a charging network (that consists of other existing charging networks), where you pay for your charging expenses using the Bluedot pre-funded debit card. Let me start off by saying that I have no affiliation with Bluedot, other than being one of their early adopters. I was skeptical at first because they offer some pretty significant benefits, and it didn't seem like it was sustainable. Had kind of a Movie Pass vibe to it, if you're familiar with the original Movie Pass. I signed up in January 2023, and they are still around, so I guess that's something. I don't know what their business model is, or how they make money, although I assume that it has something to do with selling the data they collect. Anyway, here are the main benefits:

If you start a charging session on their network using their app the cost is fixed at 30 cents per kWh (or 25 cents if you charge more often), with no subscription or session charges. Around me their network consists mainly of ChargePoint and EVgo stations. If you're familiar with EVgo you know that 30 cents/kWh is about half of the posted EVgo rate.
Next, and this is a biggie for me as I'm also a Tesla owner, any other (not Bluedot network) charging expenses earn you a 20% reward/rebate, as long as they are paid with the Bluedot debit card. So for example I have the Bluedot card set as my default payment method on my Tesla account, and charging at a Supercharger is exactly as it has always been, except now I'm saving 20%. Same goes for EA.
This next one is kind of an odd perk: One day a month is designated as a "free charging day". Any charging sessions initiated through the app on that day are free. You pay the usual .25 or .30 per kWh and then are reimbursed a few days later. If their free charging day happens to fall on a day when you're road tripping you can save some significant $$ here.
I'll call this one an undocumented feature: Occasionally when starting a charge using their app the charging session will go normally, but Bluedot will think that the session failed to start, and your account will not be charged. Kind of a bonus free charging day.
They also offer some significant rewards for using their debit card for other expenses, for example 5% back at grocery stores. If you have a big family that could add up fast.

I crunched some numbers, and for January 2023 through March 2024 I used the Bluedot card to pay $3777.53 in various expenses ($891.06 of that was charging), and received $428.40 back in rewards. Pretty decent savings, and this doesn't even include the savings from the fixed rate charging.
If you want more info you can find it here: https://www.thebluedot.co

And again, I'm not affiliated with Bluedot. Just sharing my experience with my fellow cheapskates. It's definitely more work than just using plug and charge, but the savings are real. If you read up on it and decide to give it a try, message me and I'll send you a referral code that will save you a few bucks. I'll try to answer any questions that I see in the comments.

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[emptykim]

I use bluedot when I need to charge on EVgo. Works great and the $0.30/kwh is definitely a nice savings.

 

[invertedspear]

OK, I'm giving this a go, but it's really annoying that you can't view a map of in-network chargers before going through the account signup process. If I go through all of this, which included an excessive amount of personal information considering it's setting up a bank account, then it turns out it does me no good, it's going to be a big waste of everyone's time.

 

[invertedspear]

OK, I got approved and can see the map now. Looks like in my neck of the woods, and on my most common road trip, it does me no good till I have my Tesla adapter. Seems like it covers a lot of Super Chargers and not really EA chargers.

If anyone wants a peak at the map in a given area before pulling the trigger, let me know and I'll send you some screen shots.

 

[FLSpartan04]

OK, I got approved and can see the map now. Looks like in my neck of the woods, and on my most common road trip, it does me no good till I have my Tesla adapter. Seems like it covers a lot of Super Chargers and not really EA chargers.

If anyone wants a peak at the map in a given area before pulling the trigger, let me know and I'll send you some screen shots.

Does it seem like most superchargers are covered? I’m thinking of doing a road trip up I-75 this summer SW Florida to W Michigan. If I don’t have my ford adapter by then I’ll order an A2Z. Doesn’t really make much of a difference around home as I can just charge on the FCSP.

 

[msadan]

Does it seem like most superchargers are covered? I’m thinking of doing a road trip up I-75 this summer SW Florida to W Michigan. If I don’t have my ford adapter by then I’ll order an A2Z. Doesn’t really make much of a difference around home as I can just charge on the FCSP.

Tesla and Electrify America are not in the Bluedot network, but if you use the Bluedot debit card as your payment method on those networks you will get 20% of your charging cost back as rewards. You'll also get 20% of the monthly subscription cost to those networks back.
I'm not sure why the map in the app shows Supercharger locations, other than as a convenience. You can't initiate a charging session at a Supercharger through the app.

 

[FLSpartan04]

Tesla and Electrify America are not in the Bluedot network, but if you use the Bluedot debit card as your payment method on those networks you will get 20% of your charging cost back as rewards. You'll also get 20% of the monthly subscription cost to those networks back.
I'm not sure why the map in the app shows Supercharger locations, other than as a convenience. You can't initiate a charging session at a Supercharger through the app.

Ok so just ChargePoint and EV Go? It is confusing because they have Tesla logos all over their website. Do you know if it is all EVgo and ChargePoint chargers or just a selection of them?

 

[msadan]

Ok so just ChargePoint and EV Go? It is confusing because they have Tesla logos all over their website. Do you know if it is all EVgo and ChargePoint chargers or just a selection of them?

There are others in their network too, just not in my area. I've seen Blink locations on the app's map. From what I've seen it's all ChargePoint and EVgo locations, but I can't say that with 100% certainty. Honestly for me the biggest savings come from the 20% back on out-of-network charging.

 

[edcoble]

I'd appreciate a referral code. Do you need an email address for me?

 

[msadan]

I'd appreciate a referral code. Do you need an email address for me?

Here you go - DANS1299 - gets you $25 I think.

 

[edcoble]

Here you go - DANS1299 - gets you $25 I think.

Many thanks!

 

[RickLightning]

Website shows 3 logos - Chargepoint, EVgo, and Tesla.

I get concerned when a website involved in financial transactions has typos. They work with Piermont Bank, who has a consent order with the FDIC (hint, that is bad). "Piermont Bank, headquartered in New York City, was found to have ‘engaged in unsafe and unsound banking practices’ and lacked the necessary internal controls and information systems commensurate with the bank's size and the risk associated with its third-party relationships, according to the FDIC's consent order."

Thanks, but nope.

 

[invertedspear]

I totally get @RickLightning being skeptical, and actually with the details he just provided I should have been more wary, so I'm approaching this with a lot of caution. But I've already signed up, and so I'm going to continue to report my experience.

I actually had a need for an in-town fast charge session. So this is a first use for Blue dot. I had to connect my debit card, and add $20 to the account, similar to how EA makes you do the same. I had to do that even though they were offering me $10 credit for a new customer. In the end I only needed about 30 kWh to make it through the day, so I used the credit + $0.05.

As of now, I don't see the banking concerns as too much of an issue. I'm not going to pre-load more than $25 at a time since I'll be unlikely to ever need more than 75 kWh at a time (20-80%). It's a tightrope to not carry much balance there, but the $0.30/kWh seems like a pretty good deal so far. Also was my first time using EVGo, which went better than expected except like EA there's not a lot of plugs, and it was tied up at first with several people charging up past 90% and going slow.

 

[msadan]

Here’s a fairly extreme example of savings. ChargePoint at the Toyota dealership in Benton Harbor MI costs $.85/kWh, one of the highest prices I’ve seen. I’m charging now from 35% to 85%, so about 50 kWh. Cost using the Bluedot card is $.25/kWh, so the cost of this charge will be $12.50 instead of $42.50. Although realistically at $.85/kWh I wouldn’t be charging to 85%, I would charge just enough to get to the nearest reasonably priced charger.

 

[Tony Burgh]

Ain’t no free lunch.

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