tado°, the Munich-based home energy management company, launched tado° Smart Charging on 31 August 2023. The app is a free download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and is available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Spain1.
The company says the app takes advantage of volatile electricity exchange prices and automatically schedules home charging at times when energy prices are low, regardless of when the car is connected to the wallbox. It states that households can save an average of €300, or 30%, on annual charging costs, while also maximising the share of renewables in their energy consumption1. The app connects to the car through the vehicle user account, and an algorithm schedules charging based on electricity prices over the next 24 hours. Charging typically takes 45 minutes once it starts. Users can set a minimum charge level, in which case the battery is charged to at least that level regardless of price1.
"today launched tado° Smart Charging, an intelligent solution for home charging stations"
Compatibility covers most major car brands, including Tesla, Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW, Skoda, Seat and Land Rover. For some brands, including Mercedes, Peugeot and Kia, a smart wallbox must also be installed and connected; tado° names Zaptec, Wallbox and Easee as compatible1. The company says the app reveals its full savings potential when combined with an hourly dynamic tariff, either its own aWATTar HOURLY or those from other providers1.
| Item | Detail as stated by tado° |
|---|---|
| Cost of app | Free |
| Countries | Germany, Austria, Switzerland, UK, Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain |
| Stated average saving | €300 per year, about 30% of annual charging costs |
| Typical charging duration once started | 45 minutes |
| Languages at launch | German and English |
The launch was one of three products announced together. tado° also introduced a heat pump control, the tado° Heat Pump Connector, and announced the launch of the aWATTar HOURLY dynamic tariff1. Christian Deilmann, co-founder and chief product officer, said e-mobility is a crucial part of the energy transition and that tado° aims to lower charging costs while helping to establish renewable energy supply in Europe1. The company states that in most households 80 to 90% of energy consumption is for space heating and charging electric cars, and that surplus green electricity during sunny and windy hours can produce negative prices1.
Why it matters for households
For a household with an electric car, the timing of charging is the main lever on what that charging costs, because a dynamic tariff passes exchange prices through hour by hour. An app that shifts the load to cheap hours changes the running cost of the car without changing the car or the charger, provided the household is on a tariff of that kind. The saving figure quoted is an average across tado°'s markets and is stated in euros; no UK-specific saving has been reported. The app also matters for EV charging flexibility and rewards, since a car that can be charged at chosen hours is a flexible load, and for which apps show the best times to use electricity, where scheduling sits alongside price display. Households without a compatible vehicle account connection, or with a brand needing a compatible smart wallbox, may not be able to use it; the smart charge point regulations set separate requirements for home charge points sold in the UK. Charging at home is also where VAT on domestic electricity applies rather than the higher public charging rate.
What happens next
tado° says more languages will follow the German and English versions. No UK-specific launch date, tariff partnership or pricing beyond the free app has been reported.