Australian energy giant Origin has launched a new service on its smartphone app that will allow Tesla owners to fully charge their car for less than the price of a cup of coffee.
The new Origin EV Power Up marks the first time – the company says – that an energy retailer in Australia has allowed automated EV charging in their app, providing Tesla users access to a charging rate of only 8c/kWh during a charge session, regardless of whichever Origin electricity plan you’re on.
EV Power Up works by finding the best time during the day or night to charge while trying to avoid peak times between 5pm and 9pm, when renewable energy is less available. Tesla owners need simply plug in their vehicle at home, specify the desired ready-by time, and Origin will do the rest.
Customers can also override their charge-by time at any point and start charging in an instant.
Origin expects that its new EV Power Up service could save eligible Tesla drivers up to $452 each year, while petrol vehicle owners looking to swap to a Tesla could end up saving over $1,800 over 12 months.
Origin is also planning to add more EV models to the service throughout the remainder of the year.
“EV Power Up will change the game for EV charging in Australia and provide incredible value for money and convenience for our Origin customers,” said Brendan Manzie, Origin’s general manager of future energy.
“For less than the price of a cup of coffee, people can now fully charge their car during the day or overnight. And it’s as simple as plugging in your EV at home and setting a charge schedule on the Origin app.
“We’re starting with Tesla vehicles – the most popular EV brand in Australia – and look forward to progressively expanding EV Power Up to support a range of EV models in the near future.
“Providing solutions for our customers that save them time and money is front of mind for us. EV Power Up will deliver on that, as well as supporting the need for smart orchestration of car batteries on the energy grid, as the number of EVs continues to rise in Australia.”
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.