OVO LAUNCHES BEST VALUE, INNOVATIVE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING PLAN

• OVO Energy has launched ‘Charge Anytime’, a smart charging electric vehicle plan helping customers cut costs
• Intelligent grid technology, powered by Kaluza, unlocks a charging rate which is three times cheaper than the national average, meaning customers can save up to £350 a year*
• EVs will be automatically charged during off-peak energy usage periods
• Customers can check their eligibility here

London, 2nd March 2023: OVO Energy has announced the launch of the best value, innovative home electric vehicle (EV) charging plan on the market. Enabled by intelligent charging that will boost the movement towards greener methods of travel, ‘Charge Anytime’, offers savings of up to £350 a year* for OVO’s EV customers.

From today, eligible customers will be able to access a charging rate of 10p per kWh (equating to 3p a mile), which is three times cheaper than the national average (34p per kWh). EV owners can take advantage of world-leading technology that automatically optimises their car to charge when emissions and prices are low. 

By splitting customers’ home energy and EV energy usage, tariff users can save 71%** on charging costs. Additionally, Charge Anytime is seven times cheaper than public charge points. The cost savings of the free add-on will appear as a credit against energy bills.

To access the easy add-on, customers simply need to connect their EV or charger with their OVO Energy account, and opt-in to smart charging. EV owners can use a mobile app to input when they need their car charged by and Kaluza’s technology then automatically charges the EV at the greenest times of the day, granting peace of mind to eco-conscious EV owners. 

The announcement comes as OVO’s research shows 68% of UK adults who drive are hesitant to switch to an EV due to perceived high charging costs. A further 52% didn’t know that electric vehicles are cheaper to run than petrol and diesel alternatives.

Households can access the add-on as part of their home energy plans – available on both variable and fixed tariffs. Customers who opt-in will also receive insights into their vehicle’s charging patterns and the savings made.

Unlike other EV charging plans on the market, Charge Anytime does not limit users to charging at certain times of the day – giving customers the freedom to charge their EVs whenever they need to. 

Mat Moakes, Chief Commercial Officer, OVO Energy comments: 

“With the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars swiftly approaching, it’s critical we incentivise our customers to make the transition to EVs. We are offering the most competitive charging plan on the market with Charge Anytime, rewarding our customers with the most innovative and best value package available. At OVO, we are committed to providing our customers with access to clean and affordable energy where possible, if we’re to reach our net zero by 2035 goal.” 

To find out eligibility, visit the OVO website.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

About OVO:

OVO was founded in 2009 and redesigned the energy experience to be fair, effortless, green and simple for all customers. OVO was awarded Company of the Decade at the BusinessGreen Leaders’ Awards and has won multiple awards, including Innovation Project of the Year, for investing in the market leading technology, customer service operations and digital products to help customers cut their carbon emissions. OVO is on a mission through its sustainability strategy Plan Zero to tackle the most important issue of our time; the climate crisis, by bringing our customers with us on the journey towards zero carbon living. OVO Energy has committed to being a net zero carbon business and achieve bold science-based carbon reduction targets, while helping customers reduce their household emissions at the same time. 

Customer Eligibility for Charge Anytime:

• Must have a compatible car or charger (list here)
• Can be on any OVO Energy plan
• Must have an EV charger installed at their home
• Must have a smart meter opted in to half hourly reads 
• Must have iOS or Android phone

*Based on an average Anytime customer using 1,750kWh per year to charge their EV using the Charge Anytime add-on (the rate on 01/01/23 is 10p a kWh for Charge Anytime charging) compared to the UK average unit rate of 30p a kWh. Actual savings will vary depending on vehicle efficiency, driving style, EV charging usage and the cost per kWh of a standard home energy tariff.

**Based on 100% charging being smart charging I.E at 10p and for 1750 kWh / 7000 miles, total cost at 34p is £595, cost at 10p is £175, a 71% decrease (as of 27 Feb 2023).

About Kaluza

Kaluza is the leading intelligent energy platform powering the future of energy. From revolutionising billing to smart electric vehicle charging, Kaluza’s technology is empowering some of the biggest energy suppliers to better serve millions of customers. Its real-time cloud platform transforms supplier operations, reducing cost to serve and boosting customer engagement. Powered by Kaluza, suppliers can invest in innovating for tomorrow’s customers and drive decarbonisation with smart, low carbon technologies that not only reduce energy bills, but lay the foundations for a more flexible energy system. www.kaluza.com 

About polling:

Strand Partners’ specialist research team conducted an online survey of 1,025 nationally representative members of the public, online between 6pm Sunday, 26th February and 7am Monday, 27th February 2022. Respondents were selected for representativeness using quotas by age and gender (interlocked) and NUTS 1 regions UK. All data was then weighted against the latest ONS census. Where appropriate, sub-samples of UK drivers and those currently not driving an electric vehicle were only asked questions as part of the survey.

Strand Partners’ online polling studies are accredited by the British Polling Council and conducted under their rules of disclosure. All data gathered is of a publishable quality and is produced within Market Research Society guidelines.

For full data tables and more detail of the methodology, please e-mail: [email protected].