Feature · 3 min read
Smart & Scheduled Charging Explained
Charges your car when electricity is cheapest, cleanest or both.
What is Smart Charging?
Smart charging lets the car (or the home charger) decide when to actually pull power from the grid, rather than starting the moment you plug in. Scheduled charging is the simpler version: you set fixed start and stop times, usually overnight.
How does it work?
You plug in whenever you get home. The car talks to the charger and, often, to your energy tariff. It then waits for cheap off-peak hours — or for periods when the grid is using more renewable energy — before drawing power. You wake up to a full battery and a smaller bill.
What does it feel like?
Plug in at 6pm, do nothing, and the car quietly starts charging at 12:30am when your overnight tariff kicks in. The app shows the plan, the cost and how much CO₂ you avoided.
Benefits
- ✓Big savings on cheaper overnight tariffs
- ✓Lower carbon footprint
- ✓Reduces stress on the grid at peak times
- ✓Battery can be pre-conditioned to be warm by your departure time
Limitations
Needs a compatible tariff and either a smart charger or a car with built-in scheduling. Override is always possible if you need to leave early, but you'll pay the daytime rate.
Common problems
- ✓Schedule conflicts between car and charger settings
- ✓Charging doesn't start after a tariff change
- ✓App loses connection to the car or charger