The rules
Since 30 June 2022, home and workplace chargers sold in Great Britain must be smart. They have to be able to change when and how fast they charge in response to the grid, charge outside the busiest hours by default, and be secure. The regulations cover both the charger and the service that controls it. Vorsprung Connect is that service.
How we meet them
| Requirement | How it works with Vorsprung Connect |
|---|---|
| Smart functionality | The charger connects to our servers using OCPP 1.6, an open standard. It sends its status and energy readings, and our servers send it charging schedules and start and stop commands. |
| Responding to the grid | The charger follows the schedule it is sent, so charging can be moved to cheaper or cleaner hours or slowed down. Lowest carbon mode uses National Grid ESO's regional forecast. |
| Charging without a connection | The schedule is stored on the charger. If the internet goes down, it keeps charging at the times it already has, and RFID cards still start a charge. |
| Default charging hours | New chargers are set to charge from 22:00 to 08:00, outside the peak hours of 08:00 to 11:00 and 16:00 to 22:00 on weekdays. The first time you open the app, you can keep those hours or change them. |
| Your override | Charge now starts a charge whenever you need it. You can change the schedule or turn smart charging off at any time. |
| Randomised delay | Scheduled charges start at a random moment up to 600 seconds after the set time, so cars don't all switch on together. You can turn it off in Settings. |
| Measuring and showing energy | Every session is recorded with its start, end and energy used. The app shows each session and the energy used in each of the last 12 months. |
| Supplier interoperability | Smart charging works with any electricity supplier and keeps working if you switch. On Octopus Agile the app reads the published prices; on other tariffs you enter your cheap hours. |
| Security of the service | Chargers connect over encrypted connections, each with its own password. App passwords are stored only as one-way hashes, and every change to a charger is recorded. |
What you control
- The charging mode: avoid peak hours, cheapest times, lowest carbon, cheap and low carbon, or your own times.
- The hours it charges, the energy you need and when you leave.
- Charge now and Stop, from the app.
- The randomised delay, in Settings.
Your charging data is handled as our privacy policy describes.
The charger itself
The charger's hardware, firmware security and its statement of compliance under Schedule 1 of the regulations come from its manufacturer. Your installer can give you the statement of compliance for your model. If you have a question we can help with, write to [email protected].
The regulations are published at legislation.gov.uk, and the Office for Product Safety and Standards has guidance for consumers and businesses.