Why schedule charging for your electric vehicle?

Scheduling your EV charge is one of the smartest ways to save money, reduce energy waste, and make the most of your home charger.

Many energy providers offer dual-rate or off-peak tariffs specifically for EV drivers. These give you access to cheaper electricity overnight, when demand on the grid is lower.

For example, using the evec VEC01 with OVO’s Charge Anytime tariff (just 7p per kWh) could save you up to £620 a year compared to standard electricity rates (that’s the equivalent of driving for just 2p a mile!).

Once you’ve set up a schedule in the evec app, your car will automatically charge at the most cost-effective times — whether you’re asleep, at work, or just relaxing at home.

 

Is scheduled charging available to everyone?

Yes — Charge Scheduling is available to all new and existing evec customers.

Just make sure:

• Your charger is connected to Wi-Fi.
• You have the latest version of the evec app.
• Your charger is paired with the app.

Once that’s done, you’re ready to set your schedule.

Not got your EV charger yet? Find the right one for you here: https://evec.co.uk/products/chargers/

 

How to schedule a charge in the evec app

Step 1: Open the evec App and select your charger from the home screen.

Step 2: At the bottom of the home screen, tap the ‘Mode’ button.

Turn off Manual Mode – this allows scheduled charging to work.

You can leave Eco Mode on if you’re using solar panels – but bear in mind, charging may be slower overnight when there’s no sunlight.

 

Step 3: Tap ‘Schedule’ to begin setting things up.

 

Step 4: Tap ‘Add Timing’ and set the details of your charging schedule:

Set the start time for charging to begin.

Choose the days of the week you want this schedule to run. You can set up multiple schedules for different days or times if needed.

Top Tip from our Customer Service Manager, Ash: "Select all 7 days of the week. That way, even if you don’t plug in every day, your car will automatically charge whenever you do and you don’t need to check every time."

 

Step 5: Give your schedule a name. Pick something easy to recognise like “Night Charge” or “Off-Peak”. We've chosen 'Overnight Tariff'.

 

Step 6: Toggle ‘NOTICE’  (optional)

You can choose to get a notification when the charge starts if you like.

Step 7: Switch your schedule ‘ON’

Make sure the schedule switch is turned ON — otherwise, the schedule won’t run.

If you want to do a manual charge one morning instead? You can always switch the schedule OFF temporarily. More on this below!

Step 8: Set the charge time to choose how long you want your car to charge for once it starts.

Step 9: Hit ‘Save’ in the top-right corner to confirm everything — and you’re done!

Don’t forget: Make sure you’ve selected the days of the week and set the charge duration before saving.

 

Manual mode

If you're driving more than usual or need a quick top-up outside your regular schedule you can use ‘Manual Mode’.

When Manual Mode is toggled on, your charger will start charging as soon as your vehicle is plugged in—no schedules, no waiting.

Think of it as a simple on/off switch for scheduled charging:

• Switching to Manual Mode will pause any active schedules and start charging your car once it’s plugged in.
• Switching Manual Mode off again will automatically restore your saved schedules, exactly as they were.

It’s the quickest way to override your schedule when plans change.

 

evec Charging Tips

Know when you can charge your EV for cheaper

Most energy suppliers offer off-peak hours, typically overnight, when electricity is much cheaper due to lower grid demand. These hours are perfect for scheduling your EV to charge, especially if you’re on a dual-rate or EV-specific tariff.

If you’ve got solar panels or home battery storage, you can also charge your EV using free or stored solar energy, making your charge even cheaper and greener. Just bear in mind that solar generation is lower overnight, so charging speed might be slower unless your system includes battery storage.

 

Prevent your EV from sleeping through its charge

Some EVs go into a low power “sleep mode” if they’ve been plugged in for a while. This can cause them to miss the first scheduled charge.

To avoid this, set two schedules:

1. Wake-up schedule – Starts 5 minutes earlier
2. Charging schedule – Kicks in to begin charging

It’s a simple trick to keep things running smoothly.

 

Keep your app updated

For the best experience, always use the latest version of the evec app. Updates bring new features, performance improvements, and bug fixes to keep everything running smoothly.

 

My scheduled charge didn’t start — what should I check?

Try the following:

• Is Manual Mode off?
• Did you select the correct days of the week?
• Did you set a charge time?
• Did you press Save?

Still stuck? Give our friendly support team a ring – we’ll get you sorted in no time: 0161 249 6780