For over a decade now, solar panels have been sprouting up on rooftops everywhere, turning everyday sunlight into clean, green energy. At the same time, electric cars have become a common sight. You would think that owners of these new eco-friendly vehicles would be charging their cars in harmony with the sun’s energy during the day to use their green energy as much as they can. But when do people charge their electric vehicle? At night….  At first glance you’d imagine these people are a bit challenged when it comes to logical thinking. Is this the case? Or is there a bit more to the story?

We were always told that this is because they were diagnosed with being employed. However, as work patterns evolve and technology improves, more people are finding ways around this. Enter smart charging—a solution that aligns electric vehicle (EV) charging with renewable energy sources like solar or wind power, optimizing energy usage and reducing the environmental impact.

The Rise of Smart Charging

According to new data from the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO), or Netherlands Enterprise Agency, smart charging is growing in popularity. A recent survey reveals that 63% of people already use smart charging to align with renewable energy sources, while another 19% want to start this practice. Smart charging is more than just plugging in at the right time; it’s about optimizing the entire energy ecosystem.

Obviously there are more ways and reasons to do smart charging. There is for instance Time-of-Use Pricing: Many smart chargers take advantage of fluctuating electricity prices. By charging during off-peak times, when electricity is cheapest, EV owners can save money. In the RVO survey, 23% of respondents already use this method, and 31% expressed interest in starting. A more advanced feature is bi-directional charging, which allows electric vehicles to not only draw energy from the grid but also feed excess energy back into it.

This transforms EVs into temporary energy storage units, helping to stabilize the grid during high-demand periods. While only 4% of people currently use bi-directional charging, nearly 49% want to explore this innovative option. As more people switch to electric vehicles, local grids are experiencing capacity strains. Smart charging helps manage these challenges by charging vehicles when grid capacity allows, ensuring a more balanced energy distribution. Dealing with grid capacity issues is therefore another way or reason to use smart charging. In the RVO survey, 15% of respondents reported using smart charging for this purpose, with another 24% wanting to follow suit.

The Future of Charging

Smarter, Greener, and More Efficient The data from RVO is clear: more people are moving toward smart charging, not just to align with renewable energy, but also to save money, stabilize the grid, and contribute to a more sustainable energy system. Far from being “a bit thick,” electric car owners are increasingly making savvy, environmentally conscious decisions about when and how they charge.

The shift to electric vehicles is only part of the green energy revolution. Pairing EVs with smart charging technologies that maximize renewable energy use and grid efficiency is the next logical step. As smart charging becomes more widespread, it will continue to reshape how we think about energy consumption and transportation.

In short, if you’re still charging your electric car at night without smart charging, it’s time to reconsider. You could be missing out on cost savings, greener energy, and even the chance to contribute back to the grid. Smart charging is the key to driving the energy transition forward.

So, are electric car owners really “a bit thick?” It seems they might just be ahead of the curve.

Want something you could actually smart charge or a grid buffer so you can still use your green energy even when the sun goes down.