The app shows how much you saved by charging at cheaper hours. This article explains how that number is calculated.
How it works
The calculation compares two amounts:
- What you would have paid if your car had charged straight away when you plugged in, at the prices of those hours.
- What you actually paid with the smart charging schedule.
The difference is your saving.
What is included
- Energy price only: the calculation uses the energy price from your tariff, for example hourly prices, time-of-use rates or a fixed rate.
- No taxes or grid fees: these are the same whenever you charge, so they are left out.
This is why your savings never match your energy invoice exactly.
For some cars, mostly plug-in hybrids, the car does not report its charging power. The charging power is then estimated, so the savings for those cars are an estimate too.
How to save more
- Use a dynamic energy tariff with hourly prices. This makes the biggest difference.
- Give smart charging a long window: plug in early and set a late ready-by time. That gives more cheap hours to choose from.
- Plug in every day, even when the battery is mostly full. Short sessions at cheap prices add up.
> Note: on a fixed-price energy contract, smart charging cannot lower what you pay for energy. You can still benefit from solar charging and lower CO2 emissions.
Related articles
- Savings look wrong? See related article
- Not sure about your tariff? See related article
- If your app lets you enter your own tariff: related article
Need help?
Contact the support team of your app. If your app comes from your energy supplier, that is your energy supplier's customer service. Tell them your car brand and model, which days the savings look wrong, and what you expected. A screenshot of the app helps.