EV drivers using smart charging from Ohme were rewarded with more than £400,000 during the recent Winter Crowdflex trial.

The project, which ran from September 2024 until April 2025 as part of the UK’s largest domestic energy flexibility study, encouraged participating EV drivers to plug in their EVs whenever they were parked at home, enabling them to earn rewards.

The scheme led to Ohme awarding drivers with over £400,000 over the course of those seven months.

The CrowdFlex trial is led by NESO, the national electricity system operator for Great Britain, and incentivises EV drivers to plug in more, enabling them to play a part in the grid flexibility services and, in turn, earn rewards from Ohme.

Ohme’s trial saw overnight plug-in rates rise by 42% and daytime plug-in rates rise by 53% when compared with pre-trial levels – showing that effective engagement can overcome the usual inertia to changing driver’s habits. Ohme also saw a very low dropout rate during the trial.

David Watson, Ohme CEO, said: “Grid flexibility services are estimated to save consumers £10bn per year in energy costs by 2050 and this research shows that customer engagement is essential in generating more flexibility and helping the system meet peak demand, reducing costs and carbon emissions for everyone. Through Ohme’s participation in this trial, we have seen engagement extend beyond those customers that were already engaged.

“If we are to achieve the increase in domestic flexibility needed to deliver the Government’s Clean Power 2030 ambitions then attracting this wider core of customers will be vital for the future. Energy suppliers cannot engage all customers so there is clearly a role for companies such as Ohme to extend the benefits of flexibility to all.”

Cathy Fraser, head of market requirements at NESO, went on: “The CrowdFlex project continues to go from strength to strength, providing greater insight into the motivations of consumers in using their electricity flexibly. This work will help further grow domestic flexibility as a resource for balancing the electricity network using the insights from this work to unlock greater value for all consumers.”

Crowdflex was awarded funding through Ofgem’s Strategic Innovation Fund, which is managed in partnership with Innovate UK. The project is being delivered by a consortium of partners that include Ovo, Ohme, Centre for Net Zero, ERM, AWS, National Grid Electricity Distribution and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks.