[Sandfire]

This seems like a simple problem, but a frustrating one.

I am an Eon Next customer and coming to the end of my contract. I have recently chosen to move to the Next Drive Smart tariff. I have installed the Next Connect app OK and it seems to have linked in to my VW ID3 OK, to the point where the app is showing me the smart charging schedule.

However, the only way I could get it to work was to set the ID3 to charge in a window of 00.00 to 07.00. If I didn't do this, the Ohme charger would start to charge the car as soon as I plugged it in. But this leads me to believe that the ID3 will start to charge itself at 00.00 regardless of the Next Connect schedule. Also, the ID3 will stop the Next Connect app charging outside the 00.00 to 07.00 window.

Am I missing (or misunderstanding) something?

[WizzyWigg]

Hi @Sandfire I'm no expert but have a read of this thread it might give you some clues.
https://community.eonnext.com/thread...ll=1#post59266

[POIuy354]

Originally Posted by Sandfire

This seems like a simple problem, but a frustrating one.

I am an Eon Next customer and coming to the end of my contract. I have recently chosen to move to the Next Drive Smart tariff. I have installed the Next Connect app OK and it seems to have linked in to my VW ID3 OK, to the point where the app is showing me the smart charging schedule.

However, the only way I could get it to work was to set the ID3 to charge in a window of 00.00 to 07.00. If I didn't do this, the Ohme charger would start to charge the car as soon as I plugged it in. But this leads me to believe that the ID3 will start to charge itself at 00.00 regardless of the Next Connect schedule. Also, the ID3 will stop the Next Connect app charging outside the 00.00 to 07.00 window.

Am I missing (or misunderstanding) something?

I'm an ex-user of Next Drive Smart and have an ID3.

The charge point (Ohme in the case of the OP) must be set to dumb-mode (ie no schedules set and must offer power to the car all the time it is plugged in).

The ID3 will start charging as soon as it is plugged in. I think the electricity used will be charged at full rate (assuming you plug in between 7am and midnight). The idea is that EOn will spot that the car is charging and immediately issue a schedule and, if appropriate, stop the car charging. Presumably the idea is that the amount of electricity used at the full rate will be negligible. This is where things went wrong for me, and why I left Drive Smart. For me, it seemed to take too long for a schedule to be issued and, even when a schedule was published, the car would erroneously continue charging.

Setting a schedule for 00:00 to 07:00 in the charge point will prevent any charging outside the normal off-peak window and so will deny EOn part of the flexibility they are seeking and may mean that your car does not receive as much charge as desired. I'm not sure whether setting a schedule in the car will have the same effect as setting it in the charge point or whether the car's schedule is overwritten by EOn.

I joined version V2 of Next Drive Smart back in mid-April and have not yet received any of my £10 monthly inducement payments. Nor have I, knowingly, received any compensation for being charge full rate where scheduled charging took place outside the off-peak window. I'd be very interested to know whether any customers on Drive Smart have had bills adjusted where scheduled charging took place outside the off-peak period.

[rwh202]

Just to add to @POluy354 - another with an ID3 and the described is the expected behaviour.

Given how flaky the ID.3 software has been at the best of times, we've skirted the smart tariffs since a failed charge and 0 miles in the tank on a workday would wipe out any conceivable savings.

The standard Drive tariff and midnight to 07:00 set on the EVSE hasn't let us down (yet...).

[Sandfire]

Thank you all for your responses. I appreciate you taking the time to comment.

I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that Next Drive Smart is not worth the hassle. In reality, the difference of 0.5p in the EV charging tariff would probably only save me less than £10 a year compared to the non-smart version. I don't think the theoretical ability to use the 6.2p rate outside the 00.00 to 07.00 period will ever be a practical proposition. It's much more likely to pop up at some anti-social half hour every now and again - if at all.

It is just so much easier to use the Next Drive tariff and set the charge window to the 00.00 to 07.00 period and let it run to my required charge level. If my position changes, I will be sure to issue an update! ☺

[Jeremy5]

FWIW, I have a friend who replaced a Mini EV with an id.3. While the Mini had worked flawlessly with Octopus' smart EV tariff, the id.3 doesn't. They think it is going to take a VW software update to sort it out.