What is Charge on Schedule?

What is Charge on Schedule? 

Charge on Schedule gives you greater flexibility over when you charge your EV with SPAN Drive. Via the SPAN Home App, you can configure your charging schedule based on when your energy is cheapest, when your solar is producing, or when it is most convenient for you.

How do I configure my SPAN Drive to Charge on Schedule?

Configuring Charge on Schedule will differ depending on the panel you own. To determine the panel you own, check out the following article: How do I know which SPAN Panel I own? 

• SPAN Panel MAIN 32
  During the Charge on Schedule welcome flow, you can either choose your rate plan, which recommends a charging schedule based on your Time of Use rates, or manually set a charging schedule.
  You can easily adjust your charging schedule using the Charge on Schedule slider, or change your rate plan under Settings > All Settings > Utility Rate Plan.
  
• SPAN Panel MAIN 16/40 & SPAN Panel MLO 24/48
  Charge on Schedule can be accessed by going to the "Devices" section of the SPAN Home app, scrolling to the SPAN Drive icon, and clicking on "Charge Mode."
  From there, you can toggle the feature to turn on, set a time for when it should be active, and click "Save" to complete setup: 
  

How fast can I charge with Charge on Schedule?

When Drive is on schedule, Drive will charge your EV at the same rate as when you “Charge Dynamically”.

What happens if I already have a charging schedule in my vehicle app?

SPAN recommends disabling the schedule on your vehicle/vehicle app and only setting a charging schedule via the SPAN Home App. If there are conflicting schedules set on your vehicle app and SPAN Home App, your vehicle will only charge during the times when the two schedules overlap.

Can I charge my car when I'm outside my schedule?

When your schedule is set, Drive will only supply power to your vehicle during the scheduled hours. If you need to charge your vehicle during off-schedule hours, you will need to switch the charging mode back to Charge Dynamically.

Using Charge on Schedule with your Utility Rate Plan

When you first configure your Drive schedule, you will be prompted to configure your schedule based on your Time of Use (ToU) plan, or manually select your charging window.

What is a Time of Use rate plan?

Time of Use (ToU) is one of many utility rate plans that adjusts the cost you pay for electricity over the course of the day, as well as on weekdays vs. weekends. ToU rate plans incentivize customers to use energy during times when the cost of generating electricity and demand for electricity is low (e.g. in the middle of the night).

Why should I use my ToU to schedule when I charge my car?

By setting your schedule to charge during off-peak hours, you will only charge your car when your utility charges a lower rate and energy usage in your area is low, resulting in a likely reduction to your energy bills* and ensuring you support a cleaner, more resilient grid.
*Please note that SPAN cannot guarantee a reduction to your energy bill simply by using Drive - Charge on Schedule. We will simply ensure your vehicle only charges during off-peak hours.

Where do I find my utility rate plan?

Your utility rate plan is typically listed on your utility bill or on your utility’s website. If you are still unsure, please contact your utility for your rate plan.

What if I don't have a ToU rate plan or my plan is not available in the SPAN Home App?

If you do not have a ToU rate plan, please contact your local utility to determine whether a ToU rate plan is available to you. If you do have a ToU rate plan, but it is not listed in the SPAN App, it may become available via a future update. In the meantime, you can still manually set a charging schedule via the SPAN Home App. We are continuously working to support more utility rate plans.

Which rate plans are available in the SPAN Home App?

SPAN currently supports rate plans in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Vermont.

Does SPAN update my charging schedule based on seasonal changes to my rate plan?

SPAN currently supports a comprehensive list of predefined rate plans for utilities in the United States. While we strive to keep this list consistently updated with the latest from utilities across seasons, we always recommend verifying your charging schedule with your utility to ensure accuracy.

How does SPAN handle rate plans with different weekday and weekend or holiday schedules?

Some Time of Use plans only have peak hours during Weekdays, and others have peak hours across the entire week. The SPAN Home App allows customers to apply the charging window to Weekdays only or Every day. If you select Weekdays, Drive will charge your car at any time during Weekends. While we strive to keep this list consistently updated with the latest from utilities across seasons and holidays, we always recommend verifying your charging schedule with your utility to ensure accuracy.

What if I don’t see the Charge on Schedule option in my app?

If your SPAN Home app is up to date and you are not seeing the Charge on Schedule feature, the issue may be that your installer has not completed your SPAN Drive setup. If that is the case, all of your SPAN Drive information would be missing in the app and this would require your SPAN Authorized installer to return onsite to finalize the setup process.

If your SPAN Drive has been completely setup and you are still not seeing the feature, please do not hesitate to contact SPAN Support.