Almost half of electric car drivers could be missing out on off-peak charging savings at home while inflation reaches a new 30 year-high, a survey by Smart Home Charge, the UK’s leading home charging retailer and installer has revealed.
The results show that 88% of those polled own an electric car, with 46% of all respondents confirming they are using a standard electricity rate for their home charging needs rather than a cheaper off-peak rate and possible charging savings. With the BBC reporting today that the cost of living has risen by over six per cent in the last 12 months to February 2022*, the fastest rise for 30 years, there is a concern that this could have a greater detrimental impact on consumers.
However, around 57% of those surveyed are making use of time scheduling to charge their vehicles at specific times when electricity is cheaper, typically overnight. The demand for lower charging rates exists, even if it is not being satisfied.
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With the recent energy price increases, the wider question is whether consumers have any options left in terms of switching to a cheaper electricity provider and achieving any charging savings. For some, they only have access to a standard tariff through their energy supplier and don’t have the option of an off-peak rate. For others, they simply don’t have the possibility of charging their EV at home.
Danny Morgan, Editor and Marketing Manager at Smart Home Charge said: “After reviewing the feedback and data from our customer survey, it is clear that many EV owners are missing out on the potential savings from using off-peak electricity rates to charge their vehicles at home. With the ongoing rise in energy prices, our advice would be for EV owners to find an energy tariff designed for electric car charging at home, helping them to further reduce the running costs of their EV.”
Smart Home Charge has developed a tool to help drivers compare home charging savings and find the best electricity tariff for them and their EV.
https://www.smarthomecharge.co.uk/guides/energy-tariffs-how-to-keep-ev-charging-costs-low
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