- EDF’s EV OptiCharge trial will automate smart charging for 300 customers to reduce costs and emissions.
- Running from this month to February 2025, the trial will optimise charging during cheaper, off-peak hours.
- Supported by £1.3 million from Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, Loughborough and Sheffield universities will analyse the trial’s impact.
EDF kick-starts EV charging trial to optimise home charging tariffs
EDF is launching a new trial to make EV charging cheaper and more environmentally friendly than ever. The new EV OptiCharge tariff trial will automate smart charging for around 300 customers.
Philippe Commaret, EDF’s Managing Director of Customers, commented:
“This trial is a brilliant example of the type of innovative solutions we’re exploring to help our customers to save cash and carbon.”
The trial starts this month and runs through February 2025. Participants will set their charging preferences through a new dedicated platform. The system will then automatically manage the charging, ensuring it happens during off-peak hours when energy is cheaper and cleaner.
This initiative is backed by £1.3 million from the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP). It’s part of the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero’s Alternative Energy Markets Innovation Programme. It builds on a previous feasibility study that highlighted the need for personalised advice and flexible tariffs, which are now core components of this trial.
Loughborough University and the University of Sheffield will support the trial with research and analysis. They will help assess the impact on customer bills and overall energy usage. By the end, they’ll have optimised the tariff to offer the most environmentally, and budget, friendly options.
Philippe Commaret continued:
“As an industry we must find ways to embed flexibility into the electricity system to reduce pressure on the grid and customers’ pockets. Trialling new tariffs such as OptiCharge will be vital if we are to help Britain achieve our net zero ambitions.”
