UK’s EV drivers miss out on £168 million by not switching to smart tariffs– research

UK electric vehicle drivers are potentially missing out on up to £168 million on their annual energy bills by not switching to smart tariffs.

That’s according to EV charging technology company, Easee, which conducted research on electric vehicle charging costs.

The data found that 28 per cent of Britain’s EV drivers continue to charge their vehicles during peak times – between 8am and 11am, or 4pm to 10pm – rather than switching to off-peak times with smart tariffs. The firm analysed that if drivers switched to a smart tariff, they could save between £265 and £372 a year, depending on their weekly charging needs, which amounts to a total of £168.2 million in lost savings across the country.

A smart tariff is an energy plan that varies in price throughout the day, with off-peak times having cheaper electricity rates and peak times being more expensive.

Sam Levy, UK sales director at Easee, said: “Switching to a smart tariff is one of the simplest and most effective ways for EV drivers to save money and reduce their environmental impact. By charging at off-peak times, drivers can cut their annual energy bills by hundreds of pounds while helping to balance demand on the grid.”

Easee currently has 82,000 chargers installed here in the UK and 900,000 units across Europe, making EV charging more accessible across the continent.