Since making the switch from Origin to Amber in late December, we’ve evaluated both of their Smart Charging programs. While sharing some similarities, the differences in control, pricing, and features are significant. In January 2025, our EV charging was predominantly powered by solar energy from Queensland, delivering 191.8kWh to the car, with only 1.1kWh sourced from the grid, covering 1,325km of driving.
Origin’s Smart Charging utilizes the Tesla API to manage charging, offering a flat rate of 8c/kWh for grid energy, with limited user control. Conversely, Amber uses the car API with enhanced functionality, allowing adjustments in charging speed and offering wholesale electricity pricing, which can be extremely low or even negative. This provides greater control over charging schedules and costs.
Amber’s system allows customized charging rules, such as charging when the car’s state of charge falls below 15% and the buy price is ≤18c/kWh, or when the state of charge is above 15% and the price is ≤3c/kWh. Despite lacking direct integration with solar inverters, Amber predicts peak solar production and household consumption, optimizing the choice between solar and grid charging.
Amber also provides extensive data and transparency, tracking every command sent to the car and offering detailed charge history and advanced reporting. This is invaluable for power users and solar households. Thanks to solar and EV integration, we avoid year-round costs for power, fuel, or gas, only requiring public charging on annual road trips.
Amber’s dynamic pricing and control allow us to optimize costs, leverage solar generation, and benefit from wholesale energy dips. While Origin offers a simple and predictable solution ideal for those seeking low fixed rates with minimal effort, Amber’s advanced features and flexibility make it the better choice for solar households and those willing to optimize their charging habits.
