A new home EV charger and free smart charging app that can cut energy bills and carbon emissions are now available.

The home charger and app enable drivers charging at home to identify the times to charge an EV when the UK’s energy supply is greenest

The “power pairing” enable drivers charging at home to identify the times to charge an EV when the UK’s energy supply is greenest.

For users on single-rate tariffs, the duo work together to automatically charge at the greenest times, easing pressure on the grid by using the maximum amount of renewable energy.

If the user has a dual-rate tariff which already encourages energy use at greener times via a cheaper off-peak period, the app allows users to take full advantage of off-peak energy prices and prioritise charging at these cheapest times.

The 7kW Ivie EV Charger and app also enable users to set a personalised charging schedule, specifying a time that they would like the car to be fully charged by, all of which can be controlled remotely via the app. If plans change, a Boost function gives the ability to turn on instant charging to kickstart charging and override any scheduled settings.

Roaming public charging functionality is also provided for by the app, enabling drivers to use more than 9,000 public charge points nationally via a single solution linked to a preferred payment option. This negates the need for multiple apps/RFIDs and for prepayment. Initially this will just be available to Ivie EV Charger users but there are plans for a general release of the app. The app also displays accurate updates of a public charge point’s status before arrival, able to be filtered by type, speed of charging and customer reviews and helping to avoid wasted journeys.

Mike Woodhall, CEO of Chameleon Technology, the firm behind Ivie, commented: “Convenience is one of the key features of the Ivie EV Charger and the Ivie Charge app, helping EV drivers to easily overcome the frustrations around home and public charging and battery range. We’ve integrated charging features built around consumer needs with the ability to set and forget, fitting in perfectly with busy lifestyles combined with easy public charging and simple payment methods. We’re making it much easier to ensure that the EV is always ready to go.”

The Ivie EV Charger costs £1,099 for full professional installation and comes with a five-year warranty, together with a comprehensive customer support package. Ivie also provides an end-to-end seamless, managed service from initial purchase through to the authorised installation team arriving to install the charger.

The Ivie Charge App is available to download for free for Apple and Android phones. The public charging features will become available to the general public in the coming months.