Have you ever bought an advanced tech product for its advertised features, only to be left in the lurch when said elements are turned off? Then perhaps you feel the same way several Jaguar I-Pace owners do, as the company has decided to cut the cord on third-party smart home charging facilities without warning.
To the uninitiated, smart charging is a massive boon to EV owners whose service providers offer off-peak electricity tariffs. Smart charging allows EV owners to automatically take advantage of recharging schedules that only take low-priced power from the grid. This method of recharging is also beneficial for utility companies to avoid EVs hoovering up energy during periods of peak demand.
However, Jaguar has decided to remove this functionality from customers who had been using a PodPoint Solo charger with Octopus Energies EV plans. The UK-based independent energy supplier’s “Intelligent Octopus Go” tariff is advertised as being up to 70 percent cheaper than other rates for EV recharging. Adding insult to injury, the PodPoint Solo charger was promoted by Jaguar itself.
Related: Nissan To Deactivate Key Features From Early EVs
Jaguar cites security concerns as the reason it’s scaling back functionality. The changes stem from how data from connected vehicles is accessed from third-party apps. This can include apps gathering personal and vehicle data. It will also protect warranty rights against loss or damage incurred when using a third-party app.
But I-Pace owners aren’t happy. Many have taken to the owner’s forum to express their outrage at the situation. Some claim they would have purchased a different car had they known this would happen. Others blame JLR for not notifying them in advance or working on a solution.
The situation mimics an earlier report which covered how Nissan is phasing out remote functionality on some of its Leaf models. However, while in that instance, users could no longer use the connected app to schedule charging, the function could still be set up via the car’s onboard system.
With third-party apps being abandoned, the only applications compatible with I-Paces are JLR’s own InControl Remote, and the Alexa Skills app.
A JLR spokesperson told Auto Express: “To continue keeping our clients’ data as safe as possible, we have updated how our electrified vehicles interact with the ever-growing list of third-party applications. As a result, some smart charging tariffs are affected. We are working with energy companies to keep our mutual clients informed of their options.”
