Off peak charging cost

Brivel said:
I have found that, when I was with EDF, they offered off peak EV charging. But it was from something like Midnight to 6/7am ! Who wants to get out of bed at midnight to plug your EV in ?
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Mine is 00:30-04:30.

The charger operates on a timer automatically!
 
Brivel said:
I have found that, when I was with EDF, they offered off peak EV charging. But it was from something like Midnight to 6/7am ! Who wants to get out of bed at midnight to plug your EV in?
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Yes, you are right many years back was like that, but things moved since then. Have you heard about smart chargers? Charging scheduling?
 
1) depends how much you are saving
2) not everyone is in bed by midnight
3) some chargers have timers :)
 
Brivel said:
I have found that, when I was with EDF, they offered off peak EV charging. But it was from something like Midnight to 6/7am ! Who wants to get out of bed at midnight to plug your EV in ?
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The Go98 EDF tariff is cheap from 9pm - 7am and all day weekend. I'm sure you can fit your sleep patterns around that, or automatically time your charging.
 
Brivel said:
I have found that, when I was with EDF, they offered off peak EV charging. But it was from something like Midnight to 6/7am ! Who wants to get out of bed at midnight to plug your EV in ?
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... scheduled charging?
 
Mick Evans said:
So I have tried for 3 days trying to speak to British Gas no joy.
Does anyone know if BG do off peak electric? (Can't find anything on my bills)

If not who does the best off peak electric and do I need a smart meter.

Thanks in advance
Mick.
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I was with BG for a twelvemonth after moving to the area. To say it was painful would be an utter understatement. As you found, customer support is next to non-existent, to which I can add that the phone app is deplorably awful and the tariffs impenetrable.
I switched to Octopus and it has - so far at least - been an object lesson in how to run a utility. I needed to have a smart meter installed, which I ordered from Octopus just after switching over. There's a commentary I put in these threads somewhere covering my switchover.
The only thing I've not yet done is to change over to a Go tariff. I'm on a tariff fixed at a decent price to 2023 but I'll keep that under review.
If you are tempted to come over from the Dark Side, there are quite a few folk on here with an Octopus sign-up switch incentive in their signature(me included). If the incentive is still available and assuming Octopus are taking switchers, it gives you and me an account credit of fifty quid each.

Update: here's the blog about my switchover to Octopus: CLICKY
 
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smokie said:
Not sure that "most" is the right word. "Some" might be better :)
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I have an "Old School" dumb Rolec unit that is was installed way back in 2015.
Charging my previous PHEV to take advantage of cheaper "Off Peak" rates was possible, because scheduled / delayed / timed charging was possible by selecting the "ON and Off" charging times, via the head unit inside of the car.
When the ZS EV arrived in early 2020 the "Delayed / Timed / Scheduled" charging function was just not possible !.
At this time Rolec and Pod Point smart chargers, where the recommended wall boxes to suit the then new MG ZS EV.
But then it was found that owners could still not facilitate "Off Peak" charging.
After a few weeks, a ZS EV owner ( who was very skilled ) was able to able to control his car from a dumb wall box.
He kindly posted his progress on YouTube and owners like myself, where THEN at last able to gain access to the cheaper rate "Off - Peak" rates, by controlling the wall box from an App on their phone.
This was an absolute game charger back in 2015 and I am still using this facility to-date.
The face lift ZS EV does allow timed / delayed charging, but I have a feeling that this is single setting on a day by day basis.
This is fine - but I am not sure if you can set a seven day schedule ???.
Here is a example of what has been available on my App.
As you can see from the first image, I am currently charging ( cheaper Off - Peak all weekend ) and it is set to complete at 22.00 hours.
The lower image displays the facility to set a seven day scheduled charge cycle both ON & OFF etc.


IMG_6201.png




IMG_6202.PNG
 
Octopus agreed to put me on one of last year's Go Faster rates after a rather long faff to get changed over to them. So from February 1st I've got 25p day and 5p night from 21.30 to 1.30.

I think I've been very fortunate as that day rate stands to be lower than the variable rate come April.

They've been very good service wise
 
Good to keep the 5p rate and in that timespan you can shift a significant amount of high power consumption.
 
I am also EDF coming to end of two year fix at the end of month. They are offering me two fixed deals , both of which are more expensive than the SV capped rate even after it goes up by 54% in April. Probably cheapest at the moment to stick with the variable rate.
 
I suppose it depends on your mileage but charging for at least 10 hours a week (fast charger) still works out cheaper by my calculations on a TOU tarriff even if you are paying more during the day than the cap.
 
Regarding timing I use a house timer From B&Q. Leave the car plugged in and it switches on at 23:30 and off at 0630 hrs. Never switch it off just plug the car in when it need a top up. Been using this method for 5 years on my Outlander PHEV battery not showing any signs of degradation car now 7 years old. Can’t wait for my ZS LR to arrive. 😄😄
 
Delboy102000 said:
I am also EDF coming to end of two year fix at the end of month. They are offering me two fixed deals , both of which are more expensive than the SV capped rate even after it goes up by 54% in April. Probably cheapest at the moment to stick with the variable rate.
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I was in a similar situation a few weeks ago now.
EDF have put me onto the closest tariff that matched my previous fixed deal.
It’s more expensive of course it is, but I have retained my midnight to seven AM on week days and the cheaper rate ALL weekend.
 
Peterch said:
I am with Bulb I had smart meters installed in August but they wouldn't connect to the network! They have only recently after months of chasing been able to receive smart meter readings so should be able to move to their EV tariff which they tell me is 6.8290 p/kwh off peak (2am till 6am) and 22.5p /kwh peak rate standing charge 25.269 per day Hopefully my smart meter will send up to date readings which will allow me to change tariffs. Not sure whether or how much the widely feared price hike will change these though.
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Ooh.. I'm with Bulb, but I've never seen anything on their site about an "EV rate", or am I just blind like SWMBO says? :rolleyes: Then again are they entertaining any swaps right now, as they're in "special admin"? It's a shame, I've found their customer service has been brill after years of mediocre providers....

Update: Found it, I just haven't been on the website recently. For me in Rural Wales, the off-peak EV rate (2-6am) is 7.49p, (unlike trendy metropolitan dwellers, where it's 5 point summat; I suppose 'cos they have to push the electrons up all the hills where I am). Still that aren't too bad, as the day rate is staying the same....
 
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lebelinconnu said:
I am currently trying to find out from Octopus how high the off peak rate on the Go tariff is likely to rise, as I am interested in battery storage to take advantage of the the 4 hour cheaper rate- but if that rate goes up massively it will take longer to break even on the cost of the battery. I have also heard rumours that energy providers might limit cheaper time of use tariffs to EV charging in future, which would obviously scupper my plans. I rang Octopus customer service, and although my call was answered very quickly the lady I spoke to was unable to answer my query, so she suggested I email Greg Jackson!
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I posted this in the morning on another thread. I hope this helps - Home Storage Battery
 
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