UK Power Networks and the smart charging provider ev.energy have launched a free feature in the ev.energy app that tells electric vehicle drivers about power cuts in their area, described by the network operator as a UK first1. The feature, called Powercast, links ev.energy's system with UK Power Networks' live power cut data and began a three-month trial in March 20241.
At least 1,000 ev.energy customers registered in UK Power Networks' region receive notifications automatically during the trial1. If the trial succeeds, the feature will be rolled out in autumn 2024 and the number of customers benefiting could reach 13,000, with the hope that other regions adopt similar trials1. UK Power Networks has also released an API so that other charging suppliers in its area can use the same power cut data, and ev.energy is the first charging provider to take it up2. The operator says live power cut data will be made available to all app developers if the trial works well1.
Notifications cover planned and unplanned outages, changes to scheduled electricity works, estimated restoration times and confirmation when power is restored2. Planned cuts for grid maintenance are included so drivers can charge in advance or find public chargepoints1. The companies say the feature is aimed particularly at drivers who depend on their vehicle for work, medical appointments, care responsibilities or as their only transport1.
"We successfully trialled Powercast with 94% of customers surveyed wanting to continue receiving power cut notifications beyond the trial."
The two announcements differ in emphasis. The March 2024 launch notice describes a three-month trial with at least 1,000 participants and a possible autumn rollout1. A second notice, published on 4 March 2024, describes Powercast as the country's first open-source power cut software and says ev.energy has introduced the function to all drivers in UK Power Networks' area via its app2. It is not reported how many drivers that covers, or how the two descriptions of availability reconcile.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Feature | Powercast, free, in the ev.energy app1 |
| Network area | London, the South East and East of England2 |
| Trial start | March 2024, three months1 |
| Trial participants | At least 1,000, potentially 13,0001 |
| Rollout if successful | Autumn 20241 |
| Survey result | 94% of customers surveyed wanted notifications to continue2 |
Why it matters for households
For a household that charges an electric car at home, a power cut removes both the supply to the house and the ability to charge. Around 80% of EV charging happens at home rather than at public chargepoints, according to ev.energy1, so an outage can leave a car short of range at the point where it is normally filled. UK Power Networks says more than one third of EV drivers have no access to another vehicle2, which makes the timing of an outage, and any notice of it, the difference between charging earlier and not charging at all.
The feature does not provide power during an outage and does not add storage or a backup power supply to a home. What it changes is information: a driver learns that a planned or unplanned cut is coming, how long restoration is expected to take, and when supply returns2. That allows charging to be moved ahead of a planned cut or shifted to a public chargepoint1. For homes in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, where different network operators run the distribution system, no equivalent arrangement has been reported.
The wider point is that the data behind the notifications comes from the distribution network operator and is being offered to third parties2. Where that data reaches a charging app, a household's charging decisions can be made against the network's own view of outages rather than against guesswork. UK Power Networks says more than half a million of its customers have already switched to electric vehicles2, and its research projects around 5 million electric vehicles across London, the East and South East by 20301.
What happens next
The trial runs for three months from March 20241. If it is judged successful, the enhanced feature will be rolled out in autumn 2024, with the number of customers benefiting potentially reaching 13,0001. UK Power Networks says it will make live power cut data available to all app developers if the trial works well1, and is encouraging other charging suppliers in its area to use its API2. No date has been reported for a decision on the trial's outcome.