Should decent off-peak electricity rates be available to everyone, not just EV owners?

Reed_Richards

Are EV owners barred from other tariffs?

Yes. Eon Next bar customers on any Time of Use tariff (which includes their EV tariff) from getting their superior Next Export Exclusive tariff for solar export.

HillStreetBlues

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81979598#Comment_81979598

Do they ban all customers on the Time of Use tariff, or just those with a EV?

Reed_Richards

All. But I imagine that the vast majority will be EV drivers. And a ToU tariff is one that relies on half-hourly data; so Economy 7 isn't classified as a ToU tariff.

HillStreetBlues

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81979606#Comment_81979606

I do understand EV drivers will barred from the tariff via the back door, but a question isn't asked if they have a EV and are banned just because of that.

Reed_Richards

You have to say you have an EV to be on Eon Next's EV tariff so the question is asked. Discrimination by the back door is still discrimination. But the OP is arguing that EV tariffs themselves unfairly discriminate in favour of EV owners.

Ildhund

[Slightly OT for a moment, sorry …]

@Reed_Richards wrote:

… a ToU tariff is one that relies on half-hourly data; so Economy 7 isn't classified as a ToU tariff.

I've heard this postulation before, but I'm not sure whether it's an official view or just a generally-accepted one, a definition adopted by E.On or Reed's own personal opinion. I should have thought that Economy 7 was the original Time of Use tariff, applying different unit rates to consumption according to when that consumption took place.

Some of those who favour disambiguation might allow that 'Smart ToU' tariffs covered the subset of ToU tariffs that rely on half-hourly data.

Scot_39

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81979606#Comment_81979606

But EOn Next do bar E10 users from some savings schemes - not sure about export as dont have solar - and that again is a very old - so old its no longer widely supported unlike e7 that has to be - register based TOU tariff. And in many cases 10 splt 5 overnight +3 afternoon +2 late evening and arguably tge one more closely replicated by modern smart tou tariffs like Cosy with its 3+3+2 off peak periods.

Diaz09

Just to clarify - are you looking at this purely from a cost perspective, or are you also considering the grid balancing benefits that these tariffs are designed to incentivise?

The reason EV tariffs get better rates is partly because they represent predictable, flexible demand that helps balance renewable generation. If you're adding home battery storage, you might find some suppliers are starting to offer similar rates for battery owners since you can provide similar grid services. Worth checking if any of the newer time-of-use tariffs factor in battery storage when you apply.

WiserMiser

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81979839#Comment_81979839

I should have thought that Economy 7 was the original Time of Use tariff, applying different unit rates to consumption according to when that consumption took place.

Just for the record, in SE England the original ToU tariff was the White Meter. This gave eight contiguous hours overnight for the newly introduced Box of Bricks storage heaters. The meter was very distinctive, having a white metal case. Customers never needed to read them, the meter reader called quarterly, a bill dropped on the mat and you paid it in full by cash or cheque or a red warning soon followed.

After a few years it was superseded by Economy 7.

Reed_Richards

Economy 7 is achieved by having the electricity meter record on two registers for the night and day use. Time of Use tariffs rely on half hourly data reported by smart electricity meters. This, I believe, gives the electricity supplier much more flexibility to change start and finish times as they choose.