Smart charging can reduce the cost of powering an EV by 70pc, according to a report from Finnish smart charging start-up Synergi.
The report found some users saved €236 ($255) a year using its smart charging solution — which automatically charges an EV at times of lower power prices, usually during the night.
“EV smart charging is an excellent way to deliver additional value to customers with electric vehicles,” says the report.
The report notes that EV owners with more powerful chargers can save even more money.
“EV owners with three-phase chargers have better opportunities to charge only using the cheapest hours as they do not have to charge actively throughout the night,” it says.
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Three-phase chargers provide a faster charge and are common in commercial and industrial settings, but are not yet widely used by consumers.
"Whilst adoption of three phase home chargers has increased, most EV drivers still use traditional two phase chargers," says Synergi.
The ability of a vehicle to charge smartly also depends on the quality of its connection and software. OEMs like pure play Tesla, as well as Germany's Volkswagen and BMW, are some of the best EVs for smart charging, the report says.
“Though managed charging solutions will not resolve every scenario, they will help to mitigate the impact of thousands of EVs charging simultaneously,” says the report.
The report lays out a number of action for governments and utilities to accelerate the use of the technology, including ensuring every publicly accessible charger in Europe is digitally connected and capable of smart charging.
Tom is an experienced business writer, specialised in the energy transition
Tom is passionate about Electric Vehicles and how Tesla, BYD, Rivian, Lucid and others are transforming automotive
