More than £400,000 was earned by electric vehicle drivers during charging company Ohme’s recent winter flexibility trial.
The trial, which ran from September 2024 until April 2025, was part of the UK’s largest domestic energy flexibility study, which encouraged participating EV drivers to plug in their EVs to earn rewards. As a result, Ohme awarded drivers with over £400,000 more than the course of those seven months.
The CrowdFlex trial involving Ohme, is led by NESO, the National Electricity System Operator for Great Britain. Encouraging EV drivers to plug-in more enables them to play a part in the grid flexibility services and in turn earn rewards from Ohme as a result.
Ohme’s trial saw overnight plug-in rates rise by 42% and daytime plug-in rates rise by 53% when compared with pre-trial levels – showing that effective engagement can overcome the usual inertia to changing driver’s habits. Ohme also saw a very low drop out rate during the trial.
Crowdflex was awarded funding through Ofgem’s Strategic Innovation Fund, which is managed in partnership with Innovate UK. The project is being delivered by a consortium of partners: OVO, Ohme, Centre for Net Zero, ERM, AWS, National Grid Electricity Distribution and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks.
Ohme is the official charger provider for Mercedes-Benz, Volvo Cars and the Volkswagen Group in the UK and Ireland as well as Smart and Hyundai in the UK, it is also the official exclusive charger provider for customers on the Motability scheme.
David Watson, Ohme CEO, said:
“Grid flexibility services are estimated to save consumers £10bn per year in energy costs by 2050 and this research shows that customer engagement is essential in generating more flexibility and helping the system meet peak demand, reducing costs and carbon emissions for everyone.”
“Through Ohme’s participation in this trial we have seen engagement extend beyond those customers that were already engaged. If we are to achieve the increase in domestic flexibility needed to deliver the Government’s Clean Power 2030 ambitions then attracting this wider core of customers will be vital for the future. Energy suppliers cannot engage all customers so there is clearly a role for companies like Ohme to extend the benefits of flexibility to all.”
Cathy Fraser, Head of Market Requirements from NESO:
“The CrowdFlex project continues to go from strength to strength, providing greater insight into the motivations of consumers in using their electricity flexibly. This work will help further grow domestic flexibility as a resource for balancing the electricity network using the insights from this work to unlock greater value for all consumers.”
Image courtesy of Ohme
