Gogoro announced that it has analyzed the usage data accumulated over the past 10 years to target the different needs of vehicle owners. Today (July 7), it further launched a "8 Monthly Rent" plan for specific user groups. For the first time, it breaks the original fixed monthly rental billing method and adopts a flexible "pay as you ride" charging method, calculated at approximately NT$0 per kilometer, providing a more flexible battery usage billing service. At the same time, it also allows new and existing owners of Gogoro and PBGN Alliance models to apply.
Inspired by the cost of riding a gasoline vehicle
Gogoro said that this new tariff plan is mainly aimed at specific car owners who want a more flexible tariff plan and make it easier for car owners to use battery services according to their personal needs.
The design reference is based on the Ministry of Economic Affairs' announcement that the average fuel cost per kilometer for similar-level two-wheeled vehicles in Taiwan is between NT$1 and NT$1. Therefore, it is proposed to charge about NT$1.5 per kilometer, while also adopting a flexible charging method of "pay as you ride."
At the same time, Gogoro explained that in addition to not having to pay a fixed monthly fee, under the "pay as you ride" policy, other routine maintenance, repair and other fees will not be adjusted separately and will remain the same as the previous monthly rental plan. However, this plan must be bound by a two-year contract, and can only be changed to other service plans after the expiration of the contract.
The more controversial part is that the original monthly rental plan only charged a one-time system activation setup fee of NT$399. When applying for the "0 monthly rent" plan, a "setup fee" of varying amounts will be charged depending on the different car models. For example, a single-battery model will be charged NT$6000, while a two-battery model will be charged NT$9000.
However, in conjunction with the announcement of the "0 monthly rent" plan, Gogoro will provide a limited-time setup fee waiver between July 7th and 8th.
New cardholders using the Taishin Gogoro Rewards co-branded card can enjoy a setup fee waiver on any car model. For general car purchases, the setup fee waiver varies depending on the model. For example, the Gogoro Pulse is completely waived for the NT$9000 setup fee, while the Gogoro Delight or VIVA MIX are waived in half, bringing the total price to NT$4500. The single-battery Gogoro EZZY has a NT$2000 setup fee waived, bringing the total fee to just NT$4000. Students are also offered a waiver of the setup fee.
In addition to Gogoro, other brands including Aeontek, eMOVING, and eReady are also offering the "0% monthly lease" plan. Gogoro also announced the launch of a new gold model of the Gogoro Pulse Ultra, which will also be available for purchase starting today.
The idea behind the "0 Monthly Rent" plan
Putting aside the more controversial "setup fee", Gogoro explained that the launch of the "0 monthly rent" plan is actually based on the analysis of past accumulated data and the actual needs of car owners in the market.
If the charging method is changed to about 1 yuan per kilometer and "pay as you ride", it can actually reduce the previous situation of riding as much as you want or abusing the battery within a fixed monthly rental, thereby normalizing the battery usage of the Gogoro Network energy network.
At the same time, Gogoro also stated that it currently has more than 2700 battery swap stations across Taiwan, with approximately 140 million batteries in operation, and more than 70% of them are the latest third-generation batteries. Therefore, it is expected to support the daily battery swap needs of car owners across Taiwan, but it also hopes to normalize the use of the Gogoro Network energy network through adjustments to tariff plans.
As for the higher "setup fee" for the "0 monthly rent" plan, Gogoro explained that it is mainly for the operation and management of the Gogoro Network energy network infrastructure, which includes routine battery maintenance and service-related operating costs. For example, if the owner has not replaced the battery for too long, the service end will proactively contact the owner to remind him to replace the battery, or handle related follow-up services. In addition, it also includes a performance improvement service worth NT$249 per month, which is enabled by default.
The announcement of a "0 monthly lease" plan, coupled with a limited-time setup fee waiver, suggests Gogoro is using this as a way to attract more people to buy the car and join in. Therefore, it's possible that other promotional methods (such as continued cooperation with PBGN Alliance brands) may also be used to waive setup fees in the future.
Overall, if the setup fee for the "0 monthly rent" plan is distributed among monthly expenses, without any discounts or exemptions, riders will still pay Gogoro Network a "basic rental" of NT$250 or NT$375 per month to cover energy network-related operating costs and performance enhancement services. This is supplemented by additional charges based on actual riding patterns, similar to how early mobile phones required a monthly basic rental fee and were charged an additional fee for actual usage.
Is this billing method cost-effective? Car owners may still need to consider their actual riding needs. If their monthly riding volume is not high and the distance they travel is not far, it is better to choose a low-cost monthly plan. If they ride less frequently but occasionally ride longer distances, they may be able to choose the newly launched "0 monthly rent" plan.
