5 benefits of smart charging for EV drivers

Smart EV charging is rapidly increasing in popularity. But what does the term really even mean? And why can't we just charge our electric cars using regular power sockets?Smart charging ensures a smooth and secure charging experience and acts as a platform for smart energy services. It also allows you to save money while cutting emissions. We listed the top five benefits of our smart charging devices and features.

1. Charge faster

Smart charging devices enable the safe usage of maximal charging power. This makes charging much faster compared to using traditional power sockets. 

2. Charge safer 

Smart charging is significantly safer because smart devices automatically test the connection between the car and the device before starting the charging event. Safety can be increased with dynamic load management if there are several charging points in the same property. Charging events can be remotely stopped if needed.

3. Monitor your electricity consumption

Neighborly disputes about your increased electricity consumption can be solved by connecting the charging device to a charging service, which automatically collects consumption data. This way charging costs get charged directly from the EV owner. To help users with company cars, the service can report the costs of both public and home charging automatically to the employer.

4. Optimise charging time

With smart charging, timing can be optimized based on the price at the local electricity market like Nord Pool Spot. This saves money and also benefits the environment and the electricity grid, as prices follow electricity demand. With charging time optimization EV charging balances the supply and demand of electricity and lowers the need for electricity generation.

5. Find charging stations

When a charging station is connected to a charging network, drivers can see whether the station is free or in use — and reserve it if necessary. In addition, drivers can share their home charging stations and earn extra income while helping others. The owner of the device can decide how to restrict access — to himself, his friends, or anyone using the network.

Smart charging in a nutshell

Smart charging is a system where there’s a data connection between an electric vehicle and a charging device, and also a data connection between the charging device and a charging operator. This enables real-time control of a charging event. In practice smart charging is a charging device connected to a back-end service that enables monitoring, controlling and restricting the use of the device.