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What Is Smart Charging?

Updated

Smart charging charges your electric car automatically at the cheapest hours, based on your energy tariff or the output of your solar panels. Your car is ready by the time you set.

How it works

The app connects to your car through the car brand's own connection, for example your Tesla, BMW or Mercedes-Benz account. You do not need a smart charger or extra hardware. It works with any charger, even a standard wall socket.

  1. Connect your car: in the app, choose to add a car and log in with your car brand's account.
  2. Set your preferences: choose a ready-by time and, if you like, a maximum price or a minimum charge level.
  3. Plug in: the app plans charging for the cheapest hours before your ready-by time.

The plan uses your car's battery level, your ready-by time and the energy prices. A charging session can be split across several cheap time slots.

What you get

  • Lower charging costs: the app follows energy prices and charges during the cheapest hours.
  • Lower CO2 footprint: charging at off-peak hours often means more renewable energy in the grid.
  • More use of your own solar power: with a linked solar inverter, the app charges from your surplus solar power first.
  • Lower grid costs: charging with surplus solar power avoids grid fees and peak prices.
  • Insight in costs and savings: see your monthly charging costs, the energy used and your savings.

Savings compare the actual cost with what charging straight away at plug-in would have cost. They count the energy price only, without taxes or grid fees, so they never match your energy invoice.

What you need

  • A supported electric car. See Supported Vehicles & Unsupported Brands.
  • A dynamic energy tariff is recommended for the biggest savings. It follows hourly prices from Nord Pool, EPEX Spot or a similar market. See related article.

Next steps