Smart charging on chargers
Copy linkHow it works
With smart charging through the charger, any EV that is plugged in to the charger will charge during the most cost-effective hours, resulting in reduced charging costs.
The functionality is based on the concept of a charging duration and a 24-hour smart charging cycle. Smart charging is configured solely through the charger, without requiring a connection to the vehicle itself. The end-user is prompted to input their desired charging duration, e.g. 5 hours and 30 minutes, that they want their vehicle to charge for within a 24-hour cycle. The start time of the cycle is configurable for the end-user, e.g. an end-user might set it to 8:00 am to ensure their vehicle is charged before they go to work in the morning.
The figure below shows an example of a charging schedule during the cheapest hours. Due to fluctuating prices, the optimal charging window spans two charging intervals. One starts at 12:00 and the other starts at 00:00. The charging duration is set to five hours, and charging should be completed by 08:00am.
The optimal charging intervals will be flexible and regenerated according to the user's behaviour. If the vehicle is unplugged from the charger and then plugged in at a later time, the API will re-optimize based on the remaining charging time within the current cycle and update the charging intervals if necessary. This ensures that the vehicle will be charged for the desired charging duration, even if it is not connected to the charger during the cheapest hours.
Copy linkUser interface
The below sketches provide examples of how the smart charging functionality can be communicated through your app's user interface. In this example, the charging duration is set to five hours, and the cycle is defined to start and end at 8:00am. The three sketches represent three different times during the same cycle: 9:00am, 2:00pm, and 7:45am.
The top component displays the progress of the current charging cycle. As illustrated, a colored circle indicates the charging progress, with a green bar representing the completed charge time and a yellow bar indicating the remaining charge time.
Below the progress circle is a status for the cycle. We suggest using the following four statuses, depending on the state of the current cycle.
To enable a one-click activation experience, we recommend providing good default values. However, users should be able to adjust the charging duration and start time of the cycle if they prefer. Additionally, there should be an option to activate or deactivate smart charging.
Finally, we recommend providing the user with an overview of the current charging cycle. Similar to the progress circle above, green bars indicate completed charging intervals, while yellow bars represent intervals planned for the future. Including an indicator that shows the current time can also help illustrate that certain charging intervals may be in progress.
Copy linkTechnical implementation
Copy linkAssociating a charger with a location
For smart charging to work, the charger must be associated with a location. This is to enable Enode to get the relevant electricity prices. To do that, first create a charging location using the LocationsAPI endpoint.
After creating the location, you can associate it with the charger by inserting the locationId to the Update Charger EndpointAPI.
Copy linkSmart charge status
To get the most recent smart charging status for a charger, see Charger Smart Charging StatusAPI.
This endpoint is designed to provide easily accessible information about the charging progress. All relevant charging intervals will be listed, along with a status indicating whether the interval is completed, in progress, or planned for the future. Note that this information will be updated throughout the cycle depending on the vehicle's connectivity status.
In addition to displaying the relevant charging intervals, an overall status is also provided. As previously mentioned, this status can be DISABLED, CHARGING, CHARGING_PAUSED, NOT_REACHABLE, or NOT_PLUGGED_IN.
To determine the remaining charge time, add the time for the planned intervals to the remaining time in any intervals that are currently in progress. This value is not provided through the endpoint because it quickly becomes outdated if the vehicle is presently charging.
Copy linkSmart charge policy
To get or update the smart charging policy, use the Charger Smart Policy EndpointAPI.
This endpoint allows you to enable or disable smart charging. Additionally, you can adjust the start time of the charging cycle or the charging duration.
Copy linkFAQ
What happens if smart charging is already enabled on the vehicle?
Enabling smart charging on both the vehicle and the charger simultaneously will not work as intended. Be sure to communicate this clearly in your application. You can either provide this information to all users, or simply issue a warning if a user attempts to enable smart charging on a charger when smart charging is already enabled for a vehicle.
What happens if a user has multiple vehicles?
Since the smart charging functionality is configured solely through the charger, we have no insight into which vehicle is connected to it. As a result, the charging behaviour will be the same whether you plug in two different vehicles or the same vehicle multiple times.
What happens if the vehicle gets fully charged before the charging duration is reached?
Once the vehicle is fully charged or has reached its maximum charging threshold, it will cease charging. This means that the vehicle will no longer consume energy even if the charger continues to attempt charging.
How often does the user need to adjust the settings?
For most users, the settings will be a "set and forget" thing. After gaining some experience with the functionality and the vehicle, users are expected to find a reasonable charging duration that can work over a longer period of time.
What is the difference between smart charging on vehicle and on chargers?
Smart charging, configured on the vehicle, ensures that the vehicle reaches the charging limit by the deadline when it is charging at one of the predefined charger locations. This requires location data and state of charge information from the vehicle.
On the other hand, smart charging on chargers charges for a predefined duration, regardless of the state of charge of the vehicle. This functionality does not require a connection to the vehicle, making it compatible with all types of vehicles. Moreover, chargers have been shown to be more reliable and responsive to action commands sent by Enode.