Electric vehicle enthusiasts in Australia have reason to celebrate. Origin, one of the nation's leading energy firms, has unveiled a groundbreaking service aimed squarely at Tesla owners. This new feature, available on Origin's smartphone app, promises to fully recharge a Tesla for under AU$5 given optimal conditions.
According to a report from The Driven, Origin’s EV Power Up service offers an impressively low charging rate of 8c/kWh, regardless of the user's current Origin electricity plan. The magic lies in the app’s ability to charge the vehicle only when electricity rates are at their lowest, thereby avoiding peak hours. This is how the service can keep charging costs so low it competes with the price of a single cup of coffee.
Setting up this cost-efficient arrangement is straightforward. Tesla owners simply need to connect their EV at home and input their preferred time for the car to be fully charged. From there, Origin’s EV Power Up service takes over, regulating the charging sessions to capitalize on the most affordable electricity rates available.
Origin projects that this service can save Tesla owners as much as AU$452 annually when compared to standard home charging electricity rates. The savings are even more substantial for those transitioning from combustion-powered cars to Teslas, with potential annual savings exceeding AU$1,800.
Brendan Manzie, Origin’s General Manager of Future Energy, expressed optimism about the service's revolutionary potential for Tesla owners. “EV Power Up will change the game for EV charging in Australia, offering unbeatable value and convenience. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you can fully charge your car either during the day or overnight. All it takes is plugging in your EV at home and setting a charge schedule on the Origin app,” he stated.
Initially, this service is exclusive to Tesla vehicles, currently the most popular EV brand in Australia. However, there are plans to expand EV Power Up to accommodate a variety of EV models in the near future. “Providing solutions that save our customers both time and money is a priority for us. EV Power Up will fulfill this promise while also supporting the smart management of car batteries within the energy grid as EV adoption continues to rise in Australia,” Manzie added.
For those keen to explore the intricacies of this new service, Origin has provided a comprehensive video explainer, which can be viewed below:
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