Tomato Energy (Electric Only Supplier) - Too Good To Be True ?

QrizB

Qyburn said:

amz1909 said:

thanks, does it just allow ev to be charged at that rate or anything during that time.. still going through the list 

Octopus Go does, it's simply a lower price (8.5p) for five hours.  Intelligent Go is more complex, from what I understand it's only cheap while the car's actually charging.

Broadly speaking there are three types of EV tariffs.

1. A fixed cheap-rate period each night. During that period, all you electricity is cheaper, but your daytime electricity is more expensive than usual. Octopus Go and EON Next Drive are both examples, but so is boring old Economy 7.
2. A fixed cheap-rate period each night, plus any hours outside that period when the supplier's "smarts" chooses to charge your car. During these periods all your electricity is cheaper, but your daytime epectricity is more expensive than usual. Intelligent Octopus Go and EON Next Drive Smart are both examples.
3. Anytime cheap-rate electricity for EV charging only. All other electricity is charged at standard rates. The supplier uses the charger's own data to calculate how much electricity you've use at the EV rate. Scottish Power EV Optimise and OVO Charge Anytime are both examples.

Personally, I've had both the first varieties but have been avoiding the third type.

GSV3MIAC2

I tried both those types too, but I managed to get onto NextDrive version with 7 cheap hours (fixed) which is now closed. The Octopus smart version will integrate with some chargers, if you ask specially, whereas the Eon smart version only works with (some selected) cars. Both have issues with putting out silly slots (in Octopus case I has some 1 minute, 3Wh charge slots .. madness) or getting confused about whether to charge (cost wise) at peak or offpeak rate. IMO the smart ones are not really ready for prime time yet.

QrizB

GSV3MIAC2 said:

Both have issues with putting out silly slots (in Octopus case I has some 1 minute, 3Wh charge slots .. madness)

Those are the best ones. You get 30 minutes of cheap household use and your car is still hungry for more, so you get another slot later