Boosting Greener and Cheaper EV Charging Habits

Behavioural science-informed National Grid campaign in the UK enhances energy flexibility by encouraging more frequent and longer EV plug-ins.

What unsustainable behaviour needs to change:

Electric vehicles (EVs) are a sustainable transportation alternative, offering an environmentally friendly option for mobility. However, charging behaviours can significantly impact these benefits by putting a high strain on the grid, which may increase reliance on fossil fuels and lead to higher CO2 emissions. 

Intelligent EV chargers, such as Ohme’s charger, help reduce stress on the grid by balancing supply and demand.  By doing so, they enable cheaper and greener charging for EV drivers. To fully unlock these benefits, however, drivers need to plug in frequently and for longer periods, in order to activate their smarter features.

 

The Green Nudge:

As part of the National Grid’s CrowdFlex study, Ohme was tasked with encouraging owners of its EV chargers to increase their plug-in frequency and duration. To achieve this, they brought in Halo by Design to create a 3 month behaviour change strategy spanning recruitment, onboarding, and engagement. The strategy applied behavioural science and leveraged digital tools to permanently shift charging habits and maximise the benefits of smart charging.

The approach included:

  • Recruitment: Emails using behavioural tools like incentives, scarcity, and social norms to attract participants to the three month trial.
  • Onboarding: Digital and physical habit-building aids, alongside myth-busting messages to address misconceptions about frequent charging to help t participants get off to a good start.
  • Engagement: Weekly digital nudges employing incentives, feedback, and loss aversion to maintain (or restart) desired plug-in behaviour.

 

The results:

  • Overnight plug-ins rose by 50%, and daytime plug-ins by 80%.
  • Plug-in frequency increased month by month.
  • Many participants became “super pluggers,” regularly charging 6–7 times a week.
    • 20% of users increased from 0–2 to 4+ weekly plug-ins.
    • 10% progressed from 0–2 to 5+ plug-ins.

 

The weekly email nudges had immediate effects, boosting charging within a 24-hour window. These results highlight how targeted behavioural strategies can align user habits with sustainability goals, reducing emissions and grid strain while saving costs. It also underscores the power that digital tools can have to deliver the appropriate support at the appropriate time, helping to shift behaviour.

 

Are you aware of any other nudges that encourage smarter energy habits? Feel free to comment or get in touch: hello@green-nudges.com

 

From Tam Hussey, founder of Halo by Design. With extensive expertise in behaviour change and sustainability, Tam – at Halo by Design – supports organisations in shifting employees, customer and partner habits to achieve their sustainability targets.

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