Octopus Go

[DynamoCappo]

I finally got round to moving from E-On to Ocotopus to make use of their EV rates. I can't get their Intelligent tarriff yet as my Zappi charger isn't compatible with it.

I'm on the Go tarriff that gives you a lower rate between 12am and 4.30am.

However, despite having their smart meter and everything installed, when I plug the car in at 12am, the rate stays at the 29p level.

I asked them via email and got this in response.


Thank you for reaching out to us. I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing issues with the Octopus Go tariff for charging your electric vehicle.

To investigate this further, I recommend checking if there are any other schedules or third-party apps that may be interfering with the charging schedule. Sometimes, these external factors can override the tariff settings and result in higher charging rates.

I have issued a statement for your usage and it is charging at the right time but extending the charge and there are 2 factors affecting.

1. 3rd party schedules
2. battery charge percentage is set to high for the period.

If you have any other questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to let me know.




I don't have a schedule set on the Zappi unit. I just use the car schedule to charge between 5% and 85%. Surely they're not meaning I have to remove that schedule?

On the 2nd point, are they meaning I can only charge it between 12am and 4.30am (say it only gets to 60% at that point) and I can't let it run on from then until 7am to achieve 85% even if I was happy to pay the 29p rate at that point.

That makes the entire thing unworkable and pointless. I'm on the verge of binning them off already as the entire thing has been a ballache from switchover, to getting their smart meter installed to still not receiving a lower tarriff.

Can anyone make sense of their reply there?

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[Persuader]

Hi,

Can't help you specifically with the problem but I have personally been a very happy Octopus Go user for over 3 years.

The normal Go Tariff gives you 4 hours of cheap electricity (currently 9p in most areas) between 00.30 & 04.30. Obviously this is for all your electricity use not just car charging.

Where are you seeing that it is not charging you the cheaper rate?
Bare in mind that the lower rate starts at 00.30 not 00.00.

1. The car charging schedule will not affect the rate you are charged for electricity drawn within the 4 hour window.
2. This just means that if your car is set to charge/need more than what charge can be provided in 4 hours (normally about 30% charge on a 7KW charger) then depending on what time you have set your departure timer the charge will run on after or start before the cheap 4 hours and so charge at the higher cost for the element of charging outside the 4 hour window.

So a bit of a mystery really which might be solved if you can reply with the answer to how you know that it's charging you the higher rate.

 

[bn8959]

Note, you should be able to use Octopus Intelligent (which is a much better tariff) - the Taycan is now a support car - you dont need a supported charger if you have a supported car (I also have a Zappi - but no Taycan yet! Possibly tomorrow though! )

 

[Matt W]

Watching with interest and will be facing the same issues/queries soon. I understood OI was compatible now though? I do have OG on a hybrid currently and charges between 12.30-4.30 on the cheaper tariff but the smart meter is not smart enough to work this out so your display shows the higher rate but your itemised bill will show (it does me anyway) the cheaper rate being used. I can also extend my timing to exceed the 4 hrs if need be, albeit at the higher rate.

 

[DynamoCappo]

Watching with interest and will be facing the same issues/queries soon. I understood OI was compatible now though? I do have OG on a hybrid currently and charges between 12.30-4.30 on the cheaper tariff but the smart meter is not smart enough to work this out so your display shows the higher rate but your itemised bill will show (it does me anyway) the cheaper rate being used. I can also extend my timing to exceed the 4 hrs if need be, albeit at the higher rate.

The guy I spoke to on the phone a couple of weeks back was seemed to know what he was talking about and suggested something similar about the smart meter.

I'm hoping that's the case with the smart meter. I'm certainly wanting the rate backdated at least since they'll know when I've been charging the car

Note, you should be able to use Octopus Intelligent (which is a much better tariff) - the Taycan is now a support car - you dont need a supported charger if you have a supported car (I also have a Zappi - but no Taycan yet! Possibly tomorrow though! )

Yes, I thought this too. However, when you go through their sign up method even though you can select Taycan as being supported when you say you've got a Zappi, it stops you selecting OI

The Taycan is supported but only if you have their generic (crappy?) charger.




Am I going to have to phone them again and tell them I can get on OI right enough? Urgh, such a faff.

 

[bn8959]

The guy I spoke to on the phone a couple of weeks back was seemed to know what he was talking about and suggested something similar about the smart meter.

I'm hoping that's the case with the smart meter. I'm certainly wanting the rate backdated at least since they'll know when I've been charging the car




Yes, I thought this too. However, when you go through their sign up method even though you can select Taycan as being supported when you say you've got a Zappi, it stops you selecting OI

The Taycan is supported but only if you have their generic (crappy?) charger.




Am I going to have to phone them again and tell them I can get on OI right enough? Urgh, such a faff.

As soon as I get my Taycan Ill be trying this! My plan is to set Zappi to 'Fast' (ie dumb mode) for now. Im currently with Octopus and on ECO7 tariff. Ill let you know how I get on!

 

[Matt W]

A month after I signed into OI, they provide an itemised bill for each day, you
Should get something that looks like this. It’s so simple with my current car and I am getting more confused by the day on how complicated it seems to be with the taycan. I’m dreading the first evening I get home with the car and forgot everything I have read…

 

[Jin]

Yes, I thought this too. However, when you go through their sign up method even though you can select Taycan as being supported when you say you've got a Zappi, it stops you selecting OI

The Taycan is supported but only if you have their generic (crappy?) charger.




Am I going to have to phone them again and tell them I can get on OI right enough? Urgh, such a faff.

The Taycan should be supported by OI.. I do recall people having to select an equivalent derivative (just picking a taycan with the right battery size not specifically having to be an ST/CT etc).

also worth noting that the OI integration with Zappi is getting closer to becoming generally available. Looks like end of this month is the current target. on the Myenergi forums there are more people getting invited into the beta testing. (https://myenergi.info/viewtopic.php?p=104568#p104568)


EDIT: also some support docs from Menergi now appearing too: https://support.myenergi.com/hc/en-gb/articles/18470101583377-Zappi-Intelligent-Octopus

 

[Fish Fingers]

Octopus Go works out better than IO for me (renewal was Aug). I know it doesn't for others.

OP. Have you got profile and/or timers set up on the Taycan?
If so, post a pic.
I am wondering if it's something to do with your Taycan charge settings.

 

[r0b1n]

Yes, I thought this too. However, when you go through their sign up method even though you can select Taycan as being supported when you say you've got a Zappi, it stops you selecting OI

The Taycan is supported but only if you have their generic (crappy?) charger.




Am I going to have to phone them again and tell them I can get on OI right enough? Urgh, such a faff.

In the sign-up process, you can just say you have a Commando plug and it'll then let you sign up - the charger really doesn't play a part if you are managing the charging schedule yourself through in-car profiles.

 

[Jin]

Octopus Go works out better than IO for me (renewal was Aug). I know it doesn't for others.

OP. Have you got profile and/or timers set up on the Taycan?
If so, post a pic.
I am wondering if it's something to do with your Taycan charge settings.

there are some good comparison apps out there now for octopus which uses your actual historical data to compare prices against different products/tariffs.

I'm using 'Octopus Compare' on iOS which is free. You put in your Octopus API details and it gives a personal view... great tool to compare and figure out what works for the indidivudal.

 

[DynamoCappo]

Octopus Go works out better than IO for me (renewal was Aug). I know it doesn't for others.

OP. Have you got profile and/or timers set up on the Taycan?
If so, post a pic.
I am wondering if it's something to do with your Taycan charge settings.

Thanks FF. Here's a couple of pictures of what I've got set up...

Would I need to change it from optomised charge to preferred charging period at all?

 

[DynamoCappo]

In the sign-up process, you can just say you have a Commando plug and it'll then let you sign up - the charger really doesn't play a part if you are managing the charging schedule yourself through in-car profiles.

The Taycan should be supported by OI.. I do recall people having to select an equivalent derivative (just picking a taycan with the right battery size not specifically having to be an ST/CT etc).

also worth noting that the OI integration with Zappi is getting closer to becoming generally available. Looks like end of this month is the current target. on the Myenergi forums there are more people getting invited into the beta testing. (https://myenergi.info/viewtopic.php?p=104568#p104568)


EDIT: also some support docs from Menergi now appearing too: https://support.myenergi.com/hc/en-gb/articles/18470101583377-Zappi-Intelligent-Octopus

Thanks guys. That's great info. I'll maybe try the commando socket option and see if that transfers it to OI.


I had another email from Octopus this morning but it does nothing other than confirm the points I made initially and ask for my type of car and charger which will result in them coming back and saying Zappi isn't compatible yet (as they're less knowledgle than people on here with how to deal with that if I'm able to select a commando socket option)

 

[im85288a]

I had another email from Octopus this morning but it does nothing other than confirm the points I made initially and ask for my type of car and charger which will result in them coming back and saying Zappi isn't compatible yet

Surprised at this, Octopus Intelligent is compatible with Zappi and Taycan. Signed up for this a couple of months back with no issues. Just need to set the Zappi to FAST mode during the initial car tests.

 

[pdavison]

I'm hoping to switch but have been told I can't until I have the car (hopefully December). In the meantime I've asked to switch to their tracking tariff.

Is that correct regarding having to have the car before you can switch?

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