What’s new with EV Optimise smart charging? Explore our latest updates and improvements

What is EV Optimise, and why are customers choosing it?

If you drive an electric vehicle, EV Optimise is designed to make charging simpler and cheaper.

Available through the ScottishPower App, EV Optimise is a smart charging add-on that works alongside most ScottishPower tariffs¹. That means customers can keep their existing tariff and add EV Optimise to unlock a super-low smart charging rate of just 8p²per kWh.

Once onboarded, customers simply tell us how much charge they need and when they need their car ready by, and EV Optimise² automatically schedules charging at the cheapest and greenest3 times available.

How does EV Optimise work?

Unlike a traditional time-of-use tariff, EV Optimise doesn’t rely on fixed charging windows. Behind the scenes, smart charging technology works out when electricity is cheapest and when more renewable energy is available, helping customers save money while making greener charging choices. And to ensure you’re charging at the cheapest and greenest times³, EV Optimise won’t smart charge your car during peak times (4 – 8pm every day).

Our innovative approach to smart charging recently earned EV Optimise the Best Use of Data award at the Global Business Tech Awards 2026.

Your feedback makes EV Optimise even better

When customers told us they wanted setup to be clearer, faster and easier, particularly when connecting their vehicle for the first time, we worked on updates that remove friction and improve guidance, including:

Every improvement to EV Optimise has been designed to help customers get set up with confidence and start benefiting from smart charging faster.

Here’s a look at the latest updates we’ve made based on customer feedback. We’ll update this page whenever we release a new update.

July 2026

This update focuses on making onboarding more straightforward, reducing setup issues, and helping customers get the most from EV Optimise from day one.

More reliable vehicle connection checks

One of the biggest challenges during setup has been outdated vehicle data causing false connection errors, such as the app incorrectly thinking a vehicle is unplugged or not at home.

EV Optimise now automatically refreshes vehicle data when customers reach the "Plug Car" step during setup. We’ve also added a new status screen that clearly confirms when the connection test has been completed successfully. Together, these improvements help reduce unnecessary delays and make the setup process more reliable.

Clearer setup process

We’ve introduced a new timeline view at the start of onboarding that shows customers exactly where they are in the setup journey, what they’ve already completed, and what still needs to be done before smart charging can begin.

This provides greater transparency throughout the process, helping customers understand that certain steps are required and reducing the chance of onboarding being abandoned before completion.

To help customers feel more confident when configuring EV Optimise, we’ve added a new "Learn more about preferences" option within the preferences screen.

This gives customers helpful guidance on how different settings affect charging behaviour, making it easier to choose options that suit their needs. We’ve also refreshed the screen with a clearer layout, more intuitive controls, and simplified content to improve the overall experience.

June 2026

This update is focused on helping customers get set up faster, resolve issues more easily, and clearly understand the value and savings EV Optimise can deliver.

Faster, simpler setup

To help more customers complete the essential setup process, new users are now taken directly into onboarding after accepting the Terms & Conditions. This makes it clearer that setup is required before smart charging can begin, helping customers start charging smarter faster.

Quicker connection checks

We’ve reduced the vehicle connection test from 10 minutes to just 2 minutes. While this doesn’t change connection success rates, it helps customers identify any issues much sooner and access troubleshooting guidance without long waits.

Easier location updates

Customers can now update their home location directly within the app if it’s mapped incorrectly. This removes the need to contact support and helps customers continue onboarding without unnecessary delays. We’ve also improved map controls on Android and updated guidance to make the process clearer.

Better visibility of savings and offers

Building on the new in-app journey introduced in May, we’ve added an interactive cost calculator that estimates charging costs and potential savings compared to a standard energy tariff. Customers can personalise calculations based on their monthly mileage. We’ve also introduced a new section that highlights relevant offers, such as the EV charger bundle.

Additional improvements

We’ve also fixed an Android issue that could prevent some customers from accessing EV Optimise after sign-up.