OVO EV Tariff, how’s does it work?

OVO EV Tariff, how’s does it work?

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Discussion

plfrench

2,386 posts

269 months

Saturday 1st April 2023
quotequote all
blank said:
UrbanAchiever said:
plfrench said:
Funnily enough, just started using it for the first time today.

It works by them crediting your account back for the difference between your usual tarriff and the 10p/kWh for any 'Anytime' charge delivered. Made 33p so far today (since about 11am when I got the apps hooked up) biggrin

Basically, the compatible car's app and the Ovo Anytime app triangulate with one another to establish when the car is charging at your home location and therefore how much of the electricity provided is for the car and attracts the lower rate.

Ovo are monitoring the demand levels and deem when to provide charge.

You set the minimum amount of charge you want to keep in your battery at any time when plugged in up to 50%. So, if you plug in and the car has 45% it will instantly start charging (at standard rate unless you're lucky and it happens to be at a cheap period when you plug in) till it gets to the 50% and then will stop and wait till a cheap spot. You also set a departure time on the app, say 7am. The app will ensure that you are charged to the 'full' level you set (up to 100%) by the time the departure time arrives, maximising the use of 'Anytime' 10p/kWh where it can.

Seems to work well so far. Very interesting insight into where the whole balanced grid is going. Energy companies can jettison 'excess' energy that might have gone to waste, particularly when we have more renewables than today and it's a windy night for example.

I guess the others will follow soon - but it's a sign of where EV electricity costs will be going with our move away from fossil fuels.

My wife's Born is averaging 3.7m/kWh, so on Anytime including VAT, that's 2.83 pence per mile.
You mention the cheap tariff only applies from 50% state of charge. I've been trying to find that on their website, t&Cs etc but cannot find it. Would you mind showing me where it says that? Thanks.
You've misunderstood.

The point is that you set a minimum charge level that you need (could be 50%, could be 0%) and it will charge to that point straight away. Then it will stop and wait for a cheap window to carry on charging.
Sorry, yes, I probably confused things! As above, you set a minimum % below which it will start charging as soon as you plug in regardless of whether Anytime rate is available at that moment. This can be set between 0-50%. If below this point, it will charge until it reaches it and then stop and wait for an Anytime rate.

If the car is above the point you've set, then it will just wait till anytime becomes available.

We went to London yesterday and didn't get back till just before 10pm. As I knew I wouldn't need the car today, so wasn't in any rush, I moved the trigger point down to 0% to 'force' it to wait for cheap electricity for the full charge. It started charging straight away anyway and was full by the usual 7am I have the next morning. Seems to be working very well with way, more cheap tariff availability throughout the day than I was expecting.

UrbanAchiever

187 posts

137 months

Saturday 1st April 2023
quotequote all
plfrench said:
blank said:
UrbanAchiever said:
plfrench said:
Funnily enough, just started using it for the first time today.

It works by them crediting your account back for the difference between your usual tarriff and the 10p/kWh for any 'Anytime' charge delivered. Made 33p so far today (since about 11am when I got the apps hooked up) biggrin

Basically, the compatible car's app and the Ovo Anytime app triangulate with one another to establish when the car is charging at your home location and therefore how much of the electricity provided is for the car and attracts the lower rate.

Ovo are monitoring the demand levels and deem when to provide charge.

You set the minimum amount of charge you want to keep in your battery at any time when plugged in up to 50%. So, if you plug in and the car has 45% it will instantly start charging (at standard rate unless you're lucky and it happens to be at a cheap period when you plug in) till it gets to the 50% and then will stop and wait till a cheap spot. You also set a departure time on the app, say 7am. The app will ensure that you are charged to the 'full' level you set (up to 100%) by the time the departure time arrives, maximising the use of 'Anytime' 10p/kWh where it can.

Seems to work well so far. Very interesting insight into where the whole balanced grid is going. Energy companies can jettison 'excess' energy that might have gone to waste, particularly when we have more renewables than today and it's a windy night for example.

I guess the others will follow soon - but it's a sign of where EV electricity costs will be going with our move away from fossil fuels.

My wife's Born is averaging 3.7m/kWh, so on Anytime including VAT, that's 2.83 pence per mile.
You mention the cheap tariff only applies from 50% state of charge. I've been trying to find that on their website, t&Cs etc but cannot find it. Would you mind showing me where it says that? Thanks.
You've misunderstood.

The point is that you set a minimum charge level that you need (could be 50%, could be 0%) and it will charge to that point straight away. Then it will stop and wait for a cheap window to carry on charging.
Sorry, yes, I probably confused things! As above, you set a minimum % below which it will start charging as soon as you plug in regardless of whether Anytime rate is available at that moment. This can be set between 0-50%. If below this point, it will charge until it reaches it and then stop and wait for an Anytime rate.

If the car is above the point you've set, then it will just wait till anytime becomes available.

We went to London yesterday and didn't get back till just before 10pm. As I knew I wouldn't need the car today, so wasn't in any rush, I moved the trigger point down to 0% to 'force' it to wait for cheap electricity for the full charge. It started charging straight away anyway and was full by the usual 7am I have the next morning. Seems to be working very well with way, more cheap tariff availability throughout the day than I was expecting.
Excellent, thanks for clarifying. I was going to move to IO as an existing Octopus customer but will be switching to OVO to get this tariff.

Nicks90

550 posts

55 months

Saturday 1st April 2023
quotequote all
We signed up to this just a couple of days ago and so far only needed do one charge.
Set the min to 30%, plugged it in a 8pm and wanted full by 7am and left it to it.

Came out this morning and it has cost us £7.53 to charge and saved us £6.47
Awesome!

How it works it all out and how it does it, black magic and witchcraft...but it's cheaper than normal elektrikery so I am happy

TheBinarySheep

Original Poster:

1,131 posts

52 months

Sunday 2nd April 2023
quotequote all
I plugged the car in last night, via a granny charger, and I'm disappointed to see that the smart charging feature has dropped the charge rate from 10amps to 5amps all night, so it's only put 15% or so in the car.

Still, it's enough to cover me for the day, I just wish it wouldn't change the charge rate, because I have no idea if I'm going to have enough charge the following morning.

plfrench

2,386 posts

269 months

Sunday 2nd April 2023
quotequote all
That's odd, it's not done that with our Podpoint 7kW - it's just charged at the normal rate when ever it's going - it just switches it on and off depending on Anytime availability. We've been able to charge exclusively over the last days on cheap rate (217 kWh total).

The only slight snag is that it has still lost all the savings for March from the app - I'm hoping this is a glitch and it will iron itself out when the credit is due to be applied to March's bill...

SGirl

7,918 posts

262 months

Monday 3rd April 2023
quotequote all
My electricity account is about to be ported through to OVO, and I've been trying to talk to them about switching to this tariff.

My first call got through and was put through to another department, which hung up on me.

So far I'm on my seventh "I'll just put you through to the department you need to speak to", which doesn't actually ever result in me being put through to the correct department.

More than one department has people shouting across to one another in the background, too.

Please tell me this shower aren't always like this. Is there any way to sign up for this tariff without having to actually talk to their atrocious customer "service" team?



TheBinarySheep

Original Poster:

1,131 posts

52 months

Monday 3rd April 2023
quotequote all
SGirl said:
My electricity account is about to be ported through to OVO, and I've been trying to talk to them about switching to this tariff.

My first call got through and was put through to another department, which hung up on me.

So far I'm on my seventh "I'll just put you through to the department you need to speak to", which doesn't actually ever result in me being put through to the correct department.

More than one department has people shouting across to one another in the background, too.

Please tell me this shower aren't always like this. Is there any way to sign up for this tariff without having to actually talk to their atrocious customer "service" team?
I did it all online.

plfrench

2,386 posts

269 months

Monday 3rd April 2023
quotequote all
TheBinarySheep said:
SGirl said:
My electricity account is about to be ported through to OVO, and I've been trying to talk to them about switching to this tariff.

My first call got through and was put through to another department, which hung up on me.

So far I'm on my seventh "I'll just put you through to the department you need to speak to", which doesn't actually ever result in me being put through to the correct department.

More than one department has people shouting across to one another in the background, too.

Please tell me this shower aren't always like this. Is there any way to sign up for this tariff without having to actually talk to their atrocious customer "service" team?
I did it all online.
Me too - it's not actually classed as a tariff as I understand it, more of a bolt-on option to any of their tariffs.

You'll need to have a main house tariff with Ovo set up first, then you can get Anytime added assuming meter and car are compatible.



Piginapoke

4,768 posts

186 months

Thursday 6th April 2023
quotequote all
Hi all. For any existing OVO Anytime users (it’s great by the way), has anyone has their March payment credited to their bill yet? It’s due in the first week each month but no payment yet.

(It will save me c£150!)

plfrench

2,386 posts

269 months

Thursday 6th April 2023
quotequote all
Should be tomorrow - my billing period runs to the 7th of each month.

The amount saved for March is showing again now - they've obviously sorted that slight glitch where it disappeared from the app when April started, so no reason to think it won't work fine and be credited as expected.

Big Nanas

1,355 posts

85 months

Thursday 6th April 2023
quotequote all
I can see my March bill on the OVO app (1st to 31str March) and it's missing our Charge Anytime credit. We did have it correctly credited for Feb, so obviously something has gone wrong.
Like others on here, our March usage disappeared from the App, but has since re-appeared. I hope this gets credited for April, as I really don't need the hassle of sitting in a queue to talk to an agent to try to resolve it. Sigh

Piginapoke

4,768 posts

186 months

Thursday 6th April 2023
quotequote all
I guess OVO has until tomorrow to pay the credit but I’m comforted by the fact that it’s not just me. OVO will sort it out in the end, can I ask us to update this thread when the March payment comes through?

Piginapoke

4,768 posts

186 months

Thursday 6th April 2023
quotequote all
My March payment has been paid.

Big Nanas

1,355 posts

85 months

Thursday 6th April 2023
quotequote all
Yes, I see mine now.
It's shown on the Ovo main app, under payments, then 'charges and payments'. I can see Anytime credit for the period of March.

Good stuff!

plfrench

2,386 posts

269 months

Thursday 6th April 2023
quotequote all
Me too. All good. Seems to be working fine!

griffchris

166 posts

271 months

Friday 7th April 2023
quotequote all
Anyone have any idea if more manufacturers will be included within the compatible list - is it just a software issue (which might be upgradeable) of a hardware issue?

I have a Hyundai Ioniq 5 on order (Hyundai aren't on the list) and my homecharger is non-compatible

Thanks

Chris

Piginapoke

4,768 posts

186 months

Friday 7th April 2023
quotequote all
griffchris said:
Anyone have any idea if more manufacturers will be included within the compatible list - is it just a software issue (which might be upgradeable) of a hardware issue?

I have a Hyundai Ioniq 5 on order (Hyundai aren't on the list) and my homecharger is non-compatible

Thanks

Chris
I’d DM OVO on Twitter, they’ll soon tell you

James6112

4,393 posts

29 months

Friday 7th April 2023
quotequote all
Interesting stuff as my legacy EDF tariff ends soon.. and will join the EV world in the near future.
Our car of interest is in the list, might as will switch to OVO. Unless EDF offer similar within the next couple of months!

jamesbilluk

3,704 posts

184 months

Saturday 8th April 2023
quotequote all
I've just set up OVO charge anytime (for a Jaguar iPace) I plugged it in yesterday, and set the car to charge for 10.00 this morning (it has the granny charger at the momemt, so I didn't expect it to do that fully) it started 'smart' charging ok. It stopped after an hour, and said it would start again after 22.00. Come this morning, and it's not done anything.

There's light on the charger saying 'fault' and Wattcat and jaguar remote just says 'initializing' It won't even do an 'urgent charge'! Not sure what do do as I can't charge it at all now. I'm just stuck on this screen. I've tried deleting the app


Edited by jamesbilluk on Saturday 8th April 10:38

jamesbilluk

3,704 posts

184 months

Saturday 8th April 2023
quotequote all
I just popped out to a local fast charger/shopping, whilst I was out. The app seemed to reset it's self, and noticed I was away from home.

On my return. I plugged the car in again. And it's smart charging again. I'll have to see what happens when it finishes this session, and if it locks up again when starting the next session. Very strange.