London – 13th November, 2024 – Advanced energy software business Kaluza today announces a world-first where Volvo EV (electric vehicle) drivers can now directly enroll in an electric vehicle smart charging plan and enjoy a seamless experience all within their vehicle app.
From today, Volvo drivers can sign up for OVO’s Charge Anytime and charge their car at any time for just 7p/kWh thanks to Kaluza’s software automatically shifting charging to cheaper and greener times. As a special offer, Volvo drivers will also receive 2,700 miles of free EV charging for enrolling.
Nicole Melillo Shaw, Volvo Car UK Managing Director, said: “With this new partnership with OVO and Kaluza, we’re helping our customers maximise the benefits of electric car ownership, both in terms of their day-to-day running costs and by reducing their energy carbon footprint. The economic and environmental benefits of this initiative will add to the appeal of our award-winning models and encourage more people to make the move to EV ownership.”
This announcement comes as new research from OVO suggests drivers are financially motivated to switch to an EV. Over half (56%) of the UK say that the main factor that would influence their decision to switch to an EV is lower running costs, followed by government or tax incentives (40%). With 3 in 4 people reporting that they would be more likely to buy an EV if they had access to a charging tariff which automatically charged the car at the lowest rates possible.
As Volvo Cars’ trusted technology partner of choice, embedded at the core of Volvo’s digital ecosystem, Kaluza has made it possible for drivers to enjoy a personalised, Volvo-branded experience right in their app. In an industry first, Volvo Cars maintains control over how drivers interact with smart charging features, providing them with an experience fully in line with Volvo Cars’ standards and customer expectations. Kaluza and Volvo Cars are leading a step change in customer experience as the Volvo Cars app enables customers to enjoy the benefits of smart charging directly through the app, without the need to download and manage additional smart charging apps.
The collaboration demonstrates the innovation possible at the intersection of energy and mobility, attracting new customers to both the auto and energy utility brands. By enabling customers to sign up where they’re most likely to be in the automaker app, Kaluza streamlines the process, reduces ownership costs and accelerates the adoption of smart charging solutions which are decarbonising the planet.
Future plans include the development of bi-directional V2X services. These services will not only allow Volvo Cars customers to charge up for less, but reward drivers for exporting surplus energy back to their homes and helping to balance the grid.
Neel Gulhar, Chief Product Officer at Kaluza, commented: “By 2030, 84% of auto sector revenue growth is expected to come from disruptive new offerings such as shared mobility, connectivity and electrification. Integrations like this are exactly what automakers and energy retailers need to put customers at the centre of the energy transition and ensure nobody gets left behind. We’re proud to partner with the world’s largest auto brands and forward-thinking utilities to accelerate the adoption of EVs within a smarter, greener energy system.”
Mat Moakes, Chief Commercial Officer at OVO, said: “Together with Volvo Cars and Kaluza, we’re committed to accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles and rewarding customers for making the switch. This is another way we are helping our customers cut costs and carbon for a greener future.”
About Kaluza
Kaluza is an energy software company powering the future of energy. From revolutionising billing to smart electric vehicle charging, Kaluza’s technology is empowering some of the biggest energy suppliers to better serve millions of customers. Its real-time cloud platform transforms supplier operations, reducing cost to serve and boosting customer engagement. Powered by Kaluza, suppliers can invest in innovating for tomorrow’s customers and drive decarbonisation with smart, low carbon technologies that not only reduce energy bills, but lay the foundations for a more flexible energy system.
Kaluza is a B Corp-certified business with over 450 employees across seven global hubs. www.kaluza.com
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About Volvo Car Group
Volvo Cars was founded in 1927. Today, it is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales to customers in more than 100 countries. Volvo Cars is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange, where it is traded under the ticker “VOLCAR B”.
“For life. To give people the freedom to move in a personal, sustainable and safe way.” This purpose is reflected in Volvo Cars’ ambition to become a fully electric car maker and in its commitment to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
As of December 2023, Volvo Cars employed approximately 43,400 full-time employees. Volvo Cars’ head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars’ production plants are located in Gothenburg, Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu, Daqing and Taizhou (China). The company also has R&D and design centres in Gothenburg and Shanghai (China).
About OVO
In 2009, OVO was born to make energy better for people and the planet. Today, OVO is trusted by around four million customers with their home energy, EV charging, green tech upgrades, and more.
OVO is getting the UK ready for a greener, fairer future – planting one million trees a year and supporting new renewable power projects in communities across the country. Not only is OVO bringing low carbon tech into homes, it’s finding smart ways to cut costs for customers – making heat pumps, solar panels, and electric cars more accessible. Behind all this work is Plan Zero: the bold, science-backed sustainability strategy, which sets out how OVO will become a true net zero business by 2035.
This progress can only happen with a culture fit for the future. OVO’s multiple awards include the Best Place to Work for Women in The Sunday Times’ Best Places to Work 2023, which also saw the company coming in the Top 10 for Very Big Organisation.
OVO also won Company of the Decade at the BusinessGreen Leaders’ Awards 2020.
About Polling
Strand Partners’ specialist research team surveyed 1,013 members of the UK general public between 29-30th October 2024. The survey was representative by age, gender and NUTS 1 region. Strand Partners is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
