How to make the most of Synergy EV Add On
A collective love of the electric vehicle (or EV) is growing in WA – and this forms an important part of the future of energy. As part of our DER Roadmap (that’s the State Government’s Distributed Energy Resources Roadmap) WA will soon be home to Australia’s longest EV charging network.
With even more EVs expected on WA’s roads in the coming years, one of the ways we’re embracing the future of energy is with new options such as Synergy EV Add on.* Here’s what you need to know.
Synergy EV Add On: One of our new time of use electricity products
The EV Add on is one of Synergy’s new time of use products. It is similar to Synergy Midday Saver because your electricity rates (or charges) change depending on what time you use electricity, rather than a flat rate.#
If you’re an EV driver, we’ve designed EV Add On especially for customers like you, who could take advantage of the cheaper electricity rates when charging your EV.#
To switch to the Synergy EV Add On product, you need to have an AMI meter (or smart meter). AMI meters record your electricity consumption in 30 minute intervals. Your electricity consumption also needs to be under 50MWh (megawatt hours) each year.
The Synergy EV Add On is not available for any industrial, commercial, business or home business use.*
Variable electricity rates across four time periods
As a time of use tariff, Synergy EV Add On offers four different time periods with different electricity rates:
- Overnight: 11pm to 6am
- Super Off Peak: 9am to 3pm
- Off Peak: 6am to 9am and 9pm to 11pm
- Peak: 3pm to 9pm
If you have an EV, take advantage of the cheapest electricity rates by charging your EV between 9am and 3pm (Super Off Peak time period) and Overnight from 11pm to 6am (Overnight time period).
How does Synergy EV Add On work?
Synergy EV Add On offers lower electricity rates during the Overnight, Super Off Peak and Off Peak time periods, compared to our standard residential Home Plan (A1) which is a regulated flat rate tariff.#
Your AMI meter, or smart meter, records the amount of electricity and what time of day it was used. You will then be charged the applicable rate for each time period, based on your electricity usage data recorded by the meter.
This means you could benefit from the lower electricity rates the Synergy EV Add On offers if you charge your EV outside of the peak time period.#
Are you already a Midday Saver customer?
If you are a current Midday Saver customer who owns an EV, it might be time to consider switching plans!
As a Midday Saver customer, you might already be proactive about changing your electricity usage behaviours to best make use of the different electricity rates in order to save on your electricity costs.# Synergy EV Add On offers an additional Overnight time period for greater flexibility to help you decide when the best time to charge your EV is.
To further benefit from the Synergy EV Add On product, you could look into having a timer fitted to your electric water heater, reticulation, bore or pool pump so that you can use them during the Overnight, Super Off Peak or Off Peak time periods.#
Explore other tips on how to shift your electricity usage to make the most of Synergy's Midday Saver time of use electricity rates.
How to make the most of Synergy EV Add On
With a few simple changes, you could find it easier to make the most of the lower electricity rates during the Overnight, Super Off Peak or Off Peak time periods. Here are some things you could consider.
Switch your behaviour. If you currently charge your EV as soon as you get home for the day, a new routine of overnight charging (between 11pm and 6am for the Overnight rate) could help you benefit from Synergy EV Add On.
Set a timer. Your EV might already have a timer (or an app) which allows you to choose the time you’d like to charge it. If not, you could look into getting a timer that’s compatible with your charging outlet – and set the timer for the time periods outside of the Peak time period which suit your routine.
Using a timer means you can plug your EV in to the charger but the battery won’t actually start drawing power from the grid until the designated time. Your EV should stop recharging when either the battery is full or at a designated finish time.
Consider a smart home charger. This is essentially an electricity amplifier that increases the electricity voltage to speed up EV charging times. It could also be programmed to charge only at certain times of the day. Check with your EV manufacturer for the best type of charger for your model.
Learn more about your EV. There are a lot of myths about driving an EV. Knowing more about the type of car and charger you have can help you to work out the best time to charge your EV.
EV chargers are graded into three levels, based on how fast they can charge an EV battery. Fast chargers are generally only for commercial use, so slow and medium chargers are usually used for home EV charging.
Consider where and when you charge. Most EVs have enough battery capacity to cover the average daily commute for a week. Every EV and individual circumstances are different, but you could find you only need to charge your EV once or twice a week. Your EV battery is different to your mobile phone which you might recharge every day.
There are a growing number of electric vehicle charging station options being installed around WA as part of the development of Australia’s longest EV charging network. The cost to use EV charging stations vary, so try to plan ahead and do your research to make the right choice for your journey and budget.
To discover more about Synergy EV Add On and decide whether this product is right for you, learn more about Synergy EV Add On*
* Synergy EV Add On is subject to eligibility criteria, see the Synergy EV Add on Eligibility Criteria for details. The Synergy Standard Electricity Agreement Terms and Conditions apply to the Synergy EV Add On product.
# The electricity charges during the Super Off Peak, Off Peak and Overnight time periods on Synergy EV Add on are lower than the electricity charge for the Synergy Home Plan (A1) (the regulated residential tariff). The electricity charge during the Peak time period on Synergy EV Add On is however higher than the electricity charge for the Synergy Home Plan (A1) (the regulated residential tariff). Ensure you do your own due diligence when deciding whether changing to Synergy EV Add On would work for your unique circumstances.
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