Kjell Ivar Tungland
What is smart charging and how much do you save?
Put simply, smart charging an electric car means that the vehicle is charged automatically while the electricity is at its cheapest. If you ‘charge smart’, you can reduce your charging costs by up to 20 per cent
As you probably know, the price of electricity goes up when many people are using it at the same time. So electricity is usually most expensive early in the day, when everyone is making breakfast, brewing coffee, taking a shower and getting ready for the day. Later, when you and I have got to work or whatever we’re doing, the price will probably drop a bit. Then it will go up again in the afternoon, when we return home. At night, the electricity price is generally at its lowest.
Anyone can charge their electric car in a smart way - even with a normal charging box
At least that’s how it was until smart charging became available to everyone. Because it is available, even for those who don’t know it yet. They just need to be told that there is an app that ensures that the car charges automatically when the electricity price isat its lowest – and to download it, of course.
See also:Smart charging reduces charging costs and is good for the environment
The app is included in the Fortum’s Smart Charging package, which is our most basic electricity contract for electric car owners. With this contract, you also get a 15 per cent discount on charging on the road from Fortum Charge & Drive in Norway. So there is money to be saved, both at home and when you are travelling. You can find an list of the makes of car that support the Fortum app here.
Reduce charging costs by up to 20 per cent
It is entirely possible to save up to 20 per cent with smart charging. The savings are calculated from electricity prices and time of charging.
The price information is obtained automatically from the Nordic power exchange Nord Pool throughout the day. The electricity market works in such a way that tomorrow's electricity prices are determined today. This means that we can know in advance when it is smartest to charge, and utilize the technology to ensure that charging takes place at the times when the price is lowest.
Let’s suppose you use a normal home charger that can deliver a charging effect of 11 kW. With a normal 70-80 kWh battery, you will need to charge for 6-8 hours. On this basis, we can compare two different situations:
You put the car on charge as soon as you get home from work at 5 p.m. and charge for eight hours.
The car is charged during the eight hours a day when the electricity price is lowest.
The difference between these two is your saving. how much you save.
If you now think you ought to start smart charging right away, and you already have an electricity contract with Fortum, you can easily add Smart Charging to My Page.
If you are not already a Fortum electricity customer, you can simply order Fortum’s Smart Charging package here.
Do you have any questions, or do you still feel a little unsure whether this is for you? On our web pages, we have compiled a selection of frequently asked questions and answers.
See also:How to start smart charging your electric car
Of course you can also contact us for a chat about anything you may be wondering about, by email, phone or chat. You will find the information you need on our customer service page.
