Supplier recommendations please :)

Hi, so my EDF tariff has a couple of months left to run, currently 4.5p overnight, and I export to Octopus at 4.1p

I have 4kW solar and 14.7kWh batteries (5.2 and 9.5) and a PHEV with an approx 11kWh battery which charges overnight on a 3 pin plug.

I don’t use much electric outside of my cheap rate, maybe 1.5 kWh max due to only 3.6 inverter and stupid electric shower (10.5)

I understand that all EV tariffs have gone up a fair bit, so I know I’m in for a price hike, I’m not adverse to getting an ev charger if it will open up a better tariff as I’m likely to get a full electric car next December when current lease is up.

Hope that’s enough info, TIA 🙂

can only be Octopus Intelligent Go once you have an EV.

Octopus Intelligent Go. 7.5p low rate 31p (here) high rate and 15p export available. Obviously needs a charger and probably a car for max benefit

I'm not sure if you need a charger to join Octopus Go, just an EV.

Guess could be charged with a granny charger and that'd be enough to qualify for the tariff?

Wouldn't be able to use octopus intelligent go (but if you get a supported EV charger, or any EV charger with a supported car, then that's an option too).

I wouldn't recommend any other supplier.

I certainly wouldn't touch British Gas with someone else's barge pole. 😁

I know some people say octopus customer service has dropped a bit, I guess because of all of the new customers they've took on, plus lots of staff taken on from those companies too (who all need re-training) but overall I'm mostly happy with them.

It's frustrating having to wait for answers sometimes, but overall seem a good company with good ideas and innovative products.

TX200 You need a charger AFAIK and Octopus will ask for the MCS certificate number when you try to transfer to that tariff (if you haven't been on it before). That was the state of play earlier on this year anyway.

TX200 I’ve found that Octopus don’t answer emails for days if ever but if you ring them they usually sort whatever issue you have pretty quickly

Vestas MCS for an EV charger? Isn't MCS for micro generation?

Might be right re the charger bit. I'm sure it wasn't strictly enforced in the past, but now it seems to suggest swap to octopus whilst waiting for the charger, then you can change tariff as soon as the charger is installed.

I use the granny charger on my Tesla with no issues. IO works fine.

I have a charger at work so don’t need to charge too much at home.

It will depend on what model Phev you have and if it’s supported. If not, then you’ll need a compatible EV charger.

TX200 They wanted something uploaded to prove you had one and I think the guys who did our solar said that you just give them the MCS number and that'll have the charger on it. They probably meant if you had it installed at the same time as the PV/battery/inverter.

Didn't bother with the charger so I dunno what the current state of play is.

Vestas
Octopus didn't ask for my MCS details (or car details) when I moved from standard variable to Go in early September.

They did want them at the end of Sep, after my PV and EV charger installation when I wanted to start exporting.

I moved from Go to Intelligent Go this week, using a Zappi charger rather than a car as my "in". They wanted my Myenergi login dets, and the type of car (the latter so they know the battery size for eg "add 25% charge" commands, I have read). No test charge was needed.

shawry Not sure if this is a recomendation or actually a "me too" question...

I came off a low economy 7 tariff last year and decided to look for the lowest off peak tariff. Like you I use very little peak rate. I don't have an EV to qualify for those tariffs.
With those aims, the best I could find was EON Next currently 12.89p from 00:30-07:30 (East Midlands). Its a shock after being on 4,5pence but the best I could find.
I have looked at some of the smart tariffs from Octopus, but can't see how they would work for me since many days, their lowest tariff is higher than the EON Next one.
So to the "me to" question.... Is there another way I should be looking at this to benefit from the Octopus tariffs? I feel I must be missing something...

PianSom Ahhh they probably check if you have an export MPAN, hence the MCS requirement referred to in my previous post.

I have a vague recollection of going through a (test) signup process as a non-Octopus customer and Go wanted some proof of a charger being in-place.

There seems to be some crossing of requirements ..
-Mcs is required for export (solar or battery)
-No requirement on a chargepoint for octopus go. (T&c require an EV but they might not check.)
-Either compatible charger or a compatible EV for intelligent go.