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Meet the new Charge Anytime!

  • September 24, 2025
  • 319 replies
  • 15107 views
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319 replies

  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

A 100% increase in unit pricing or a capped monthly mileage subscription. No matter how you dress it up with discounts and vouchers its going to cost customers considerably more than double what they pay now. We want to know the reason. Please explain? is it to do with wholesale pricing or simply motivated by profit. I'm just shocked that any company thinks its OK to put prices up by 100%. I spend £3.5k annually with OVO. If we don't see a U turn on this, I wont be spending anything from Nov 1st.  


  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

Very disappointed with OVO. I only do about 5000 miles per year so it is not worth me signing up to a monthly plan. I will also be looking to move to another supplier. 😒


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  • Rank 5
  • September 24, 2025

A 100% increase in unit pricing or a capped monthly mileage subscription. No matter how you dress it up with discounts and vouchers its going to cost customers considerably more than double what they pay now. We want to know the reason. Please explain? is it to do with wholesale pricing or simply motivated by profit. I'm just shocked that any company thinks its OK to put prices up by 100%. I spend £3.5k annually with OVO. If we don't see a U turn on this, I wont be spending anything from Nov 1st.  

Discounts, vouchers and perks which we don't want or need! 


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  • Rank 1
  • September 24, 2025

Ignoring  for one minute the doubling of the price, I'm struggling struggling to find a scenario that makes any of the plans more economical than remaining on pay as you go.

I'm sure Ovo will argue the insurance and checks are added value, but they are also an added cost!

Am I doing this wrong, or does this make no sense?


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  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

Just the latest in a long list of frustrations with Ovo.

First they want to extend the amount I am in credit from 1 month to a minimum.of 3 because they can't calculate bills correctly (on my account they don't recognise the charge anytime credit so they just see my initial energy usage) and now this. 

I do circa 800 miles a week for work. Currently average 3.9 miles per kwh so current cost is 1.7p per mile using Charge Anytime. I then get 8p per mile credited so the difference effectively covers £50 per week of my electric bill at home.

The new rate of 14p per kwh will reduce this to £25 per week.

Although I'm frustrated about this change - no-one wants to pay, let's be honest, I'm more concerned that they have a credit of £831 against my account for an average (last 12 months) energy bill of £195. Despite calling and asking for a refund the darlings at the call centre can't seem to understand basic maths. 


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  • Rank 4
  • September 24, 2025

You’re right,@Smorl it makes no sense to most of us.

That said, some of you folks may recall being invited to take part in an online survey about Charge Anytime a couple of months ago.

I did it. It was asking questions about all of these ‘features’ OVO are now implementing. At the time, I gave it all a big thumbs down in my responses, but I guess there must have been a load of positive responses from others that convinced OVO to do this. 

All very sad. 


  • Rank 2
  • September 24, 2025

Disgusted by todays email. 
 

OVO will soon see their money grabbing new venture will end up a massive loss of business.

 

At least I have to November to figure out the next switch. 
 

I will just sit back and study the options for now. 

 

OVO can ram it.


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  • Rank 6
  • September 24, 2025

Can’t say I’m that surprised, but still not what I wanted to see.

Just need to verify if the monthly contract offerings are more beneficial than my current EV spend, or if its a time to consider Octopus.

Quite likely other suppliers will follow similar increases.


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  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

Don’t necessarily be too quick to jump ship.

I too was disgusted when I saw the email this morning and immediately started looking at moving to Octopus.  However, I noted that for their smart EV tariff, the electricity day rate is currently about 25% more expensive than my current rate with OVO (and the latter is fixed until Sept next year), 29.88p vs my current 23.73p.  Also their standing charge is also more expensive; 58.21pm vs my current 55.88p

So about an hour or so later after some data analysis on my bills/usage breakdown.  If I were to keep my usage patterns as they are and switch to Octopus, it would actually cost me ever so slightly more than OVO at the increased EV charge rate of 14p.  If I were to change my usage pattern; i.e. try to run dishwasher, washing machine etc overnight then it may be a little bit cheaper, but is it worth the hassle to switch?

For me, I’ve decided the answer is no.  I should probably hang on until my fixed is up and then see what the numbers are at the time.

Now, I know everyone’s usage is different, but you may want to look at the actual numbers in a little more detail before making the jump and assuming it’s going to save you money overall.

For information, I do about 13k miles a year and pretty much all my EV charging is done at home.

 

What are the calculations like for you to only change EV provider, to Octopus for example, and stay with OVO for the remainder of your domestic electrical usage?


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  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

I will need to do the calculations, which are made more complicated by the fact we have two EV’s, a compatible Indra charger, solar panels and batteries. I also have lots of public charging credit carried over from Bonnet. My Ovo contract runs to the end of June 2026 so unless I can save more than the £75 early exit fee, including the fact my fixed prices are lower than the October prices, it’s not worth my while changing supplier.

If OVO are changing their contract with you aren’t they required to waive any applicable exit fees if you decide to leave?


  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

Time to look elsewhere - OVO WTF!


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  • Rank 6
  • September 24, 2025

OK did some brief calculations based on the stats I see in the CA app, and whichever way I look at it, its at least a doubling of the cost to charge the EV.

Mainly because each of the plans has a scaled allowance limit.

Some months I use the EV charge a lot less, others more. 


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  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

I only ever charge from home and do about 5000 miles.  This doubles my costs overnight for zero benefit.  Unfortunately I now have a fixed contract till July, so I’m probably stuck for now.  I guess I have plenty of time to research moving elsewhere for a better deal. 


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  • Rank 6
  • September 24, 2025

I am a heavy user. 3 cars doing around 2500 miles a month. Currently the cost at 2p a mile is around £50

 

the highest pack is £79 for only 2000 miles so I will end up paying 26p a kWh for the rest if I go that. That 500 miles would be £130. So can’t do that 
 

So I can also stay on PAYG 14p and pay £100 

 

I can’t move as no other tariff with anyone else’s allows all day charging on 3 cars 

 

so it’s either now £100 on PAYG or move to a different supplier 


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  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

You’re right,@Smorl it makes no sense to most of us.

That said, some of you folks may recall being invited to take part in an online survey about Charge Anytime a couple of months ago.

I did it. It was asking questions about all of these ‘features’ OVO are now implementing. At the time, I gave it all a big thumbs down in my responses, but I guess there must have been a load of positive responses from others that convinced OVO to do this. 

All very sad. 

Or maybe they just ignored the responses and were bringing this in whatever people thought?  I know I responded that none of the options were useful for me.  I doubt I’m alone….. and looking at the replies on here there seems to be a lot of unhappiness.  Does OVO care any more though?  I suspect it doesn’t unfortunately. 


  • Rank 2
  • September 24, 2025

I only ever charge from home and do about 5000 miles.  This doubles my costs overnight for zero benefit.  Unfortunately I now have a fixed contract till July, so I’m probably stuck for now.  I guess I have plenty of time to research moving elsewhere for a better deal. 

Your not stuck as they have changed the contract you can now exit for free


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  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

I only ever charge from home and do about 5000 miles.  This doubles my costs overnight for zero benefit.  Unfortunately I now have a fixed contract till July, so I’m probably stuck for now.  I guess I have plenty of time to research moving elsewhere for a better deal. 

Your not stuck as they have changed the contract you can now exit for free

Are you completely sure about that?  These things are usually ‘offers’ and are outside of the ‘contract’.  The small print usually covers this stuff.


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  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

I only ever charge from home and do about 5000 miles.  This doubles my costs overnight for zero benefit.  Unfortunately I now have a fixed contract till July, so I’m probably stuck for now.  I guess I have plenty of time to research moving elsewhere for a better deal. 

Your not stuck as they have changed the contract you can now exit for free

Are you completely sure about that?  These things are usually ‘offers’ and are outside of the ‘contract’.  The small print usually covers this stuff.

Apologies, I have just read the bottom of the email.  Seems you are correct.  Will have to start looking around for options.


  • Rank 1
  • September 24, 2025

Another disgusted customer here. If anyone wants to do the maths, chatgtp is a quick way to do comparisons based on your personal circumstances.  I'm going to be at least £280 worse off a year staying with pay as you go or £409 worse off going the subscription route. Moving to Octopus will be the cheaper option for me personally but I'm still going to be paying around £200 more than I was. Would rather give this to Octupus than Ovo!


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  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

This is really, really poor on the part of OVO. We decided to stick with them despite their drop in support for our Ohme Pro a few months ago and the subsequent teething issues we've had with their beta version of Charge Anytime and our Merc EQ vehicle.

We currently have just one EV, a company car which covers 1000 miles a month for both work and domestic purposes. That EV comes with the MB Charge card and app that already lets me utilise over 50,000 public charge points in the UK without installing third party apps - although I've only needed to use public chargers 5 times in the least 10 months. We're thinking of getting a 2nd "city car" type EV and today’s proposals have thrown up a few questions as to whether we should go ahead and get a 2nd EV at all.

The new packages that have been proposed today by OVO are of no benefit to us whatsoever; staying on Charge Anytime with it's new 14p kWh rate is plain ridiculous at double the current rate.

Likewise the £27.50 Standard Monthly Plan is also almost double the £15.44 we've currently paid per month since we started using our EV last December. And what happens if you cover more than the 700 miles per month that are included in this package..? OVO have claimed in a press release that this tariff will save the average driver £340 a year, so I'd like to see the calculations to show how this is the case!

Needless to day the Premium Monthly Plan at £37.50 is simply extortionate compared to the rates we've been paying to date and the "extras" are either pointless or overpriced when factored into this.

All in all it's time to start doing some homework and moving to another supplier - with no exit fee applicable given that OVO are the ones implementing the changes in our contract.


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  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

So would be interested to know how many customers OVO will lose over doubling the cost… Octopus here I come.


  • Rank 2
  • September 24, 2025

So would be interested to know how many customers OVO will lose over doubling the cost… Octopus here I come.

Don’t jump too soon. Octopus charge more for normal electric so it’s not a great deal. Lots of smaller unheard of companies out there offering cheaper rates. Wait and do the comparisons. Meanwhile OVO will likely see the backlash and make changes.


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  • Rank 6
  • September 24, 2025

On a more general point, with OVO doing this, and I fear other suppliers will be following, its another nail in the coffin of EV sales.

The cost of a decent EV car is so huge, the only way it makes sense is for cheap EV charging rates. I never use public chargers as the cost is extortionate. 

I only have an EV because of an attractive company lease deal. Mine ends in a few months and I was already toying with purchasing a 2nd hand diesel at that time. Certainly wouldn’t buy an EV/Hybrid privately at the moment for various reasons.


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  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

So would be interested to know how many customers OVO will lose over doubling the cost… Octopus here I come.

Don’t jump too soon. Octopus charge more for normal electric so it’s not a great deal. Lots of smaller unheard of companies out there offering cheaper rates. Wait and do the comparisons. Meanwhile OVO will likely see the backlash and make changes.

I doubt OVO will buckle to customer complaints - they failed to back down over the withdrawal of support for Ohme charges and they've not even posted any responses to this thread. I’ve already started looking around tor another supplier


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  • Newcomer
  • September 24, 2025

I have been a loyal customer of Ovo for many years but will be changing when my current contract ends.

I can’t believe that you are actively encouraging EV users to drive more miles than they normally would - your new tariff is only good for those driving in excess of 8000 miles a year. How green is that! I am retired, as many of your customers no doubt are, and therefore do not need a car for commuting purposes.

I believe this new system is in fact discriminatory and I suggest you look at it again.