OVO Energy announced Charge Anytime on 2 March 2023, a smart charging plan for electric vehicles built on the Kaluza energy software platform. The company describes it as a tariff add-on that allows eligible OVO customers to access a charging rate of 10p per kWh, which it says equates to 3p a mile and is three times cheaper than the UK average rate of 34p per kWh1.
OVO states that Charge Anytime splits EV charging costs from home electricity charges and credits customers each month for the electricity saved through smart charging. It describes the plan as the only unrestricted type-of-use tariff on the market1. Users enter the time they need their car charged by in a Kaluza-powered mobile app, and the platform then charges the vehicle automatically at the cheapest and greenest times of the day1.
The savings figures in the announcement are given on two different bases. OVO says the plan can result in 71% savings on charging costs, equating to up to £350 a year back for customers1. The 71% figure is calculated on 1,750 kWh, or 7,000 miles, of charging: £595 at 34p per kWh against £175 at 10p per kWh, as of 27 Feb 2023. The £350 figure is calculated against a UK average unit rate of 30p per kWh, with the Charge Anytime rate on 1 January 2023 given as 10p per kWh. OVO notes that actual savings will vary with vehicle efficiency, driving style, charging usage and the standard home tariff rate1.
| Basis | Comparison rate | Annual cost at 1,750 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| 71% saving calculation | 34p per kWh | £595, against £175 at 10p |
| £350 saving calculation | 30p per kWh | Not stated |
Charge Anytime integrates with vehicle brands including Tesla, Volkswagen and BMW, and with chargers from Indra and Ohme1. Scott Neuman, chief executive of Kaluza, said:
"As people struggle to navigate this volatile energy market, tariffs like Charge Anytime will play a vital role in increasing EV adoption and strengthening the grid."
Mat Moakes, chief commercial officer at OVO Energy, said the plan was offered ahead of the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars and referenced the supplier's net zero by 2035 goal1. Ohme and Indra both gave statements as charging partners; Indra said its Smart PRO charger integrates the car, the home and the grid1.
Why it matters for households
Most EV energy tariffs price charging through a time-of-use structure, where a cheap rate applies only during set overnight windows. Charge Anytime instead applies a flat rate to charging electricity and keeps it separate from the rest of the home's supply, so the household bill for lighting, heating and appliances is unaffected by the charging rate1. For a home weighing an EV tariff against a standard energy tariff, that separation is the main difference: the low rate is not tied to a clock, but to the platform deciding when to charge.
The arrangement depends on the car or charger being compatible and on the driver handing control of charging times to the app, which is the mechanism behind smart charging and flexibility rewards. Households without a compatible vehicle or one of the supported chargers are outside the eligible group, and the announcement does not set out what happens to the rate if wholesale prices move. The savings quoted assume all charging is smart charging at the add-on rate1.
What happens next
Charge Anytime launched on 2 March 20231. No further dates, eligibility criteria or end date for the 10p rate are given in the announcement.