UK Electricity Tariffs for EVs

[discoM3]

I was with PurePlanet. Good experience but no longer cost effective.

I wanted to switch to Octopus Go, but speaking to them, it will take some time to get the Smart meter installed and i have poor phone signal so cant be certain i will actually get one when the time comes.

So i looked at Economy 7 and Bulb is the lowest price for a Green Tariff, which i am keen to have! They are also cheaper on their standard tariff until i decide if i want to pay the £120 to have the Evo7 meter installed.

 

[ThrustSSC]

I was with PurePlanet. Good experience but no longer cost effective.

I wanted to switch to Octopus Go, but speaking to them, it will take some time to get the Smart meter installed and i have poor phone signal so cant be certain i will actually get one when the time comes.

So i looked at Economy 7 and Bulb is the lowest price for a Green Tariff, which i am keen to have! They are also cheaper on their standard tariff until i decide if i want to pay the £120 to have the Evo7 meter installed.

A few thoughts...

I'm also on Bulb, for Economy 7. it's worthwhile even though my current car (Outlander PHEV) only takes 9kWh a night.

But... on the smart meter and phone signal thing...

When I got the PHEV about 3.5 years ago, the grant for a chargepoint came with a meter so they could track it's use and learn from it. You had to leave the meter in for at least 2 years, I think it was. I find it very useful for working out what night usage is the car and what is e.g. dishwasher and background drain, so I've left it in.

We also have very poor signal here, but due to that we have a Vodafone picocell sitting on the broadband. The meter just talks to that and never struggles for a signal. Might be worth exploring if you're keen to get on the best possible tariff?

 

[ThrustSSC]

Also worth mentioning I didn't have to pay for an Economy 7 meter. I requested the change of my then-supplier and they did it for free.

 

[Roy W.]

I'm pretty sure nPower's smart meter is not compatible with Octopus anyway? (not SMETS2?)

I was told by Octopus to look for the “Secure” logo on the meter.

The meter OVO fitted me in 2017 is “Secure”, and so will work. No idea if “Secure” and SMETS2 are the same.

 

[kevuwk]

I was told by Octopus to look for the “Secure” logo on the meter.

The meter OVO fitted me in 2017 is “Secure”, and so will work. No idea if “Secure” and SMETS2 are the same.

Secure is the manufacturer of the smart meter

 

[mikemillar]

Four hours is enough to add roughly 100 miles of range to your Model 3 with a 7.2kW charger.

If I need to add more than 30%ish I’ll do it over consecutive nights or use a Supercharger

My Model S85 takes 3 to 3.5 hours to charge 50 miles at 7kW, depending on whether I use dog mode or not. I guess Model 3 might be slightly quicker as it is a bit more efficient.

 

[Yev000]

Just did a little search around and basically i need to sit tight and wait till I get a smart meter to benefit from any of this.

The only other option is to switch suppliers and hope for a economy 7 meter switch.

No way to rush a smart meter install as far as I can tell.

 

[Roy W.]

No way to rush a smart meter install as far as I can tell.

It might be worth you checking with OVO to see if they’re installing in your area. My smart meter from them was in within a few days of joining them. My sister, out in the sticks, is getting one from them next week after chasing them for 18 months!

 

[Durzel]

I was told by Octopus to look for the “Secure” logo on the meter.

The meter OVO fitted me in 2017 is “Secure”, and so will work. No idea if “Secure” and SMETS2 are the same.

NPower's smart meter doesn't say "Secure" on the front, but I've also read that energy companies haven't been allowed to install SMETS1 (locked to supplier for smart features) since January 2019, so...

 

[interbear]

I’m still thinking that the EDF Go Electric tariff probably works best for me. I like the flexibility of the longer off-peak electricity periods of 9pm-7am plus all weekends. As well as Model 3 charging I figure we can move quite a bit of other electricity consumption - washer, dryer etc - to those off-peak periods. The gas tariffs are a bit pricier than others but as I’m already with EDF and have their SMETS2 smart meter installed already, it should be a seamless transition too. The SMETS2 meter EDF installed is not manufactured by Secure, it’s Landis & Gyr, not sure if that would cause any issues if I chose to go with Octopus instead.

 

[Roy W.]

The SMETS2 meter EDF installed is not manufactured by Secure, it’s Landis & Gyr, not sure if that would cause any issues if I chose to go with Octopus instead.

If you’re remotely interested in Octopus I’d ask them the question. Just email them with the make and model of your meter, and they will tell you if it’s compatible.

 

[Yev000]

It might be worth you checking with OVO to see if they’re installing in your area. My smart meter from them was in within a few days of joining them. My sister, out in the sticks, is getting one from them next week after chasing them for 18 months!

I did a quote but the rate is more expensive than Bulb and I'm locked in for a year, the variable rate is a lot more expensive...

No mention of when installs happen, so it's a lottery.

Bulb is rolling them out this and next year so, just as much of a lottery.

BG seems to be the fastest at installs, but they are ripoffs.

And when I look to switch the quotes are all over the place, Apparently my gas/electricity usage is a lot higher than "average", but that's all estimates of course.

Ultimately Bulb do 13.9p /kwh rate and 20.44 standing charge. Igloo do a big better 13.504p per kWh. Not good enough to switch really. Gas rate is 3.61p per kWh VS 3.032p per kWh. The computer calculates that as a 130 per year saving if i switch.


Whether it means I get a smart meter faster, no idea....

Of course Bulb is 100% renewable and Igloo is not.

I think I'll hold tight for a bit.

 

[Roy W.]

I did a quote but the rate is more expensive than Bulb and I'm locked in for a year, the variable rate is a lot more expensive...

No mention of when installs happen, so it's a lottery.

Bulb is rolling them out this and next year so, just as much of a lottery.

BG seems to be the fastest at installs, but they are ripoffs.

And when I look to switch the quotes are all over the place, Apparently my gas/electricity usage is a lot higher than "average", but that's all estimates of course.

Ultimately Bulb do 13.9p /kwh rate and 20.44 standing charge. Igloo do a big better 13.504p per kWh. Not good enough to switch really. Gas rate is 3.61p per kWh VS 3.032p per kWh. The computer calculates that as a 130 per year saving if i switch.


Whether it means I get a smart meter faster, no idea....

Of course Bulb is 100% renewable and Igloo is not.

I think I'll hold tight for a bit.

Could you switch to BG on their standard variable tariff, let them install you a smart meter, then move to your preferred supplier?

 

[Yev000]

Could you switch to BG on their standard variable tariff, let them install you a smart meter, then move to your preferred supplier?

I'd have to pay through the nose....25.220 16.740 Ex VAT. If they drag their feet, during the winter months, I'd be something like £300 out of pocket.

 

[interbear]

If you’re remotely interested in Octopus I’d ask them the question. Just email them with the make and model of your meter, and they will tell you if it’s compatible.

Yes indeed, I emailed them earlier today as Octopus is still on my shortlist. In the meantime I checked the tariff on their website and it states: "Octopus Go is an innovative new tariff available to any Octopus Energy customer with a SMETS2 smart meter or a SecureTM branded SMETS1 that we can receive half-hourly consumption data from."

So the SMETS2 meter that EDF installed (that does do half-hourly updates) should be compatible.

 

[Roy W.]

So the SMETS2 meter that EDF installed (that does do half-hourly updates) should be compatible.

Useful info. From that then I assume my Secure 110 is SMETS1. It has been in for almost two years.

If you do finally settle on Octopus GO be sure to DM someone for their referral code

 

[Durzel]

I spoke to nPower today about reconnecting my second electrical connection and it turns out that they can't reconnect it because they "don't do new connections anymore". Because they took the meter away they said I'd "need to speak to British Gas or E.On or someone" to get a meter installed, then I can go back to them to get a supply?

Why wouldn't I just go to EDF or whoever and get them to do the meter AND set up the supply?

Very weird...

 

[interbear]

Yes indeed, I emailed them earlier today as Octopus is still on my shortlist. In the meantime I checked the tariff on their website and it states: "Octopus Go is an innovative new tariff available to any Octopus Energy customer with a SMETS2 smart meter or a SecureTM branded SMETS1 that we can receive half-hourly consumption data from."

So the SMETS2 meter that EDF installed (that does do half-hourly updates) should be compatible.

Appears my assumption was wrong and the web information is not accurate. I emailed Octopus to advise them of which brand SMETS2 smart meter I have (Landis & Gyr installed by EDF) and queried if it was compatible with their tariff. The response : “If you would like to join us and use one of our smart tariffs, we would need to utilise a secure branded smart meter, as these are the only meter types that we can read remotely.”

So it would appear that any meter needs to be “secure” branded to work with Octopus Go.

EDF Go electric it is for me then.

 

[Roy W.]

Appears my assumption was wrong and the web information is not accurate. I emailed Octopus to advise them of which brand SMETS2 smart meter I have (Landis & Gyr installed by EDF) and queried if it was compatible with their tariff. The response : “If you would like to join us and use one of our smart tariffs, we would need to utilise a secure branded smart meter, as these are the only meter types that we can read remotely.”

So it would appear that any meter needs to be “secure” branded to work with Octopus Go.

EDF Go electric it is for me then.

It seems they are contradicting themselves with the two replies they’ve sent you. The second email implies that SMETS2 has nothing to do with it.

I wonder if you just got a reply from an agent who is not familiar with their SMETS2 compatibility?

Why is nothing in life ever simple?

 

[interbear]

It seems they are contradicting themselves with the two replies they’ve sent you. The second email implies that SMETS2 has nothing to do with it.

I wonder if you just got a reply from an agent who is not familiar with their SMETS2 compatibility?

Why is nothing in life ever simple?

Indeed - they are all the same - I had a mail from EDF - £50 credit if I stay with them on expiry of my current fix (arranged via MSE cheap energy club) - clicked the link, into my account, ready to commit to Go Electric, but it wasn't even listed on the list of tariff options I could switch to. Online chat with an agent - "that tariff is only available to EV owners so doesn't show up on our standard list of tariffs". So I've had to email them separately to register my interest in the tariff