OVO Energy, the ‘green’ energy supplier is always looking for new ways to help their members be more energy-efficient, reduce their carbon footprint, and lower their bills.
That’s why, following the completion of a successful pilot scheme launched earlier this year, it recently announced the national rollout of its flat-rate electric vehicle (EV) charging tariff.
It is currently the only “type of use” energy plan in the UK that offers EV owners a separate rate for their car and home, thanks to their partnership with Kaluza, the leading intelligent energy platform.
Many EV owners may elect to charge their vehicles during off-peak hours by using “time of use” tariffs such as Economy 7 or Economy 10.
Unfortunately, this type of tariff requires drivers to charge their cars at specific times – often at night – if they want to take advantage of the lower rate.
Ovo’s new tariff costs drivers the same rate regardless of when they charge.
The energy company stated that the tariff, which will be rolled out nationwide starting yesterday, could reduce the average UK driver’s charging costs to around £100 per year by guaranteeing a flat rate of 5p per kWh for charging at all times of the day.
According to rates listed on comparison website Zapmap, the new ‘Drive Anytime’ tariff’s flat rate of 5p per kWh is comparable to rival firms’ ‘off peak’ rates.
It’s also a slightly better deal for drivers than the trial version of the tariff, which debuted in January and offered a flat rate of 6p per kWh.
According to Ovo, the offer is made possible by flexibility software developed by Ovo’s technology arm Kaluza, which uses artificial intelligence algorithms to automatically charge vehicles when prices are low and electricity is at its greenest.
The software ensures that vehicles charge during times when emissions and prices are lowest, it explained, after customers select when they need their car charged by using a mobile app.
The new tariff allows customers to separate their home electricity charges from their EV charging bill and credits customers for the amount of electricity they save using smart charging, according to Ovo, who estimates it could reduce charging costs for EV drivers by 70%.
Autumn Pray, Kaluza’s chief product officer, cited the tariff as further evidence of how smart grid technologies will aid in achieving the net zero transition.
Jessica Tan, Managing Director of OVO Smart Home says, “OVO Drive Anytime enables our EV driving members to charge their EVs on the lowest prices throughout the day, hassle free. No more worrying about high energy peak prices, or when to plug and unplug. Kaluza’s technology does all the hard work, and it’s good for the planet, too. We’re excited for our members to be shaping the future of energy with us.”
To be eligible to sign up for Drive Anytime, you must be using an OVO smart charger to charge your EV. If you don’t have one, it’s easy to get one installed and OVO are offering a £70 discount on top of the government’s OLEV grant towards your very own smart charger.
‘As we make the transition to a ‘Net Zero’ society, making changes as easy and affordable as possible will have a significant impact on consumer uptake. It’s why our weekly tips come with a discount and so, I applaud OVO for using their own technology to make this happen for the consumer market’
Richard Dickson, Co-Founder, Play It Green
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