How to Automate Your Home EV Charging Schedule

By Holden Kooiker, COO — NeoCharge

Ever plugged in your EV and wondered, "Will this be ready by 7 AM... and how much is this going to cost me?" You're not alone. Most EV owners either charge immediately (paying peak rates) or use basic car schedules that don't account for changing electricity prices.

What if you could set a simple "finish-by" time and never think about charging again—while automatically saving 30-70% on every session?

Quick Answer: Open the Scheduling tab, create a schedule for your location, then set a finish-by time for each day. NeoCharge automatically keeps charging within your cheapest off-peak windows. Need power now? Tap Start to override. For best results, turn off your car's built-in schedules.

Stop the charging anxiety and surprise bills. NeoCharge's smart scheduling ensures your car is ready when you need it, charged during the cheapest hours, with instant overrides for life's curveballs. Works with Tesla, Ford, BMW, and 90%+ of EVs—no additional hardware required.

Why Most EV Scheduling Apps Get It Wrong

Your car's built-in scheduling is basic: "start at 10 PM" or "charge for 4 hours." But what happens when electricity rates change seasonally? What about weekends when off-peak hours are different? What if you need to leave early one day?

Most apps treat scheduling like a simple timer. NeoCharge treats it like the smart energy management system it should be.

The difference: Instead of blindly charging at set times, NeoCharge calculates exactly when to start charging based on your finish-by time, current battery level, charging speed, the grid status, and real utility rates.

How Long Does EV Schedule Setup Actually Take?

The entire process takes less than 3 minutes once you have your utility rates configured. Here's the real-time breakdown:

Step 1: Navigate to Scheduling (15 seconds)

Tap the Scheduling tab in the bottom navigation. If you haven't created a schedule for your current location, you'll see a setup prompt.

Pro tip: The app remembers your location, so schedules automatically apply when you plug in at home vs. work.

Step 2: Choose Your Schedule Pattern (30 seconds)

Select your scheduling approach:

• Same every day: One finish-by time for all days
• Weekday/Weekend: Different times for work vs. leisure
• Custom daily: Unique times for each day (perfect for shift workers)

Most popular choice: Weekday 7 AM, Weekend 9 AM

Step 3: Set Your Finish-By Times (1 minute)

For each day/pattern, set when you need your car ready:

• Monday-Friday: 7:00 AM (ready for work)
• Saturday-Sunday: 9:00 AM (weekend flexibility)
• Tuesday: 6:30 AM (early meeting exception)

The app shows you exactly when charging will start based on your car's typical charging speed.

Step 4: Configure Advanced Options (30 seconds)

Minimum charge override: Start charging immediately if battery drops below X%Maximum delay: Never wait past a certain time (e.g., never start later than 2 AM)Seasonal adjustments: Different schedules for summer/winter if needed

Step 5: Disable Conflicting Car Schedules (30 seconds)

Turn off your vehicle's built-in charging schedule to prevent conflicts. This ensures NeoCharge has full control over timing optimization.

Don't worry—you can always use the override button for immediate charging.

What Happens the First Night After Setup?

6:00 PM: You plug in after work. Car doesn't start charging (that's correct!)
11:30 PM: NeoCharge calculates optimal start time based on rates and needed charge
2:00 AM: Charging begins during super-off-peak hours ($0.13/kWh vs $0.41/kWh at 6 PM)
6:45 AM: Charging completes, car is ready 15 minutes early

You wake up to a fully charged car and a notification showing exactly how much you saved.

Can I Set Different Schedules for Each Day of the Week?

Absolutely! NeoCharge supports up to 7 unique daily schedules—perfect for:

Shift workers: Different start times throughout the week

Weekend warriors: Later finish times for Saturday adventures

Business travel: Adjusted schedules for early flights

Family schedules: Different times for school days vs. holidays

Real example—Marketing Manager Sarah:

• Monday/Wednesday/Friday: 7:00 AM (office days)
• Tuesday/Thursday: 6:30 AM (gym before work)
• Saturday: 10:00 AM (sleep in)
• Sunday: 8:30 AM (family breakfast prep)

The app automatically applies the right schedule based on the day.

What If My Schedule Changes or I Forget to Plug In?

Life happens. NeoCharge handles it:

Schedule Override Features:

• Instant start: Tap "Start" to begin charging immediately, ignoring the schedule
• One-time changes: Adjust tonight's finish-by time without changing the recurring schedule
• Emergency mode: Charge to 80% as fast as possible, regardless of rates

Automatic Recovery:

• Power outage: Schedule resumes when power returns
• Wi-Fi issues: Local scheduling continues, syncs when reconnected

Which Electric Vehicles Support Advanced Scheduling Features?

Full Smart Scheduling (finish-by times, overrides, multi-day patterns):

• Tesla Model S, 3, X, Y
• Ford Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning
• BMW i3, i4, iX3, iX
• Audi e-tron GT, Q4 e-tron, e-tron SUV
• Mercedes EQS, EQE, EQC
• Hyundai Ioniq 5, 6 / Kia EV6, EV9
• + Many others!

Basic Scheduling (start/stop control, cost tracking):

• Rivian R1T, R1S (expanding features)
• Nissan Leaf (2018+

Smart Charger Integration: Works with Tesla Wall Connector, Wallbox Pulsar Plus, and the Smart Splitter directly for scheduling as well.

What About Apartment Dwellers or Shared Charging?

Apartment/Condo Charging:

• Location-based schedules work anywhere you regularly charge
• Different schedules for "Home," "Work," "Parents' House"
• Public charging automatically starts charging as needed.

240V Level 2 Shared Outlet Solutions:

• Smart Splitter integration: Automatic switching between two EVs
• Fair sharing: 50/50 split when both cars need charging (set both to half power 20 amps)
• Priority scheduling: One car finishes before the other starts

How Does Scheduling Work with Solar Panels?

For solar-equipped homes, NeoCharge offers dual optimization:

Solar self-consumption mode:

• Finish-by: Morning (using overnight solar battery storage)
• Solar-first: Midday charging when panels are producing excess

NEM 3.0 optimization (California):

• Avoid export: Charge with excess solar instead of selling back at low rates
• TOU awareness: Balance solar production with utility rates. Can be great if you are on a 1:1 export rate.
• Seasonal adjustments: Longer winter charging windows, shorter summer windows

Example setup:

• Primary schedule: Finish by 7 AM (off-peak utility rates)
• Solar: Top-off during peak solar production (11 AM - 2 PM)
• Result: Maximum self-consumption + minimum utility costs

Troubleshooting Common Scheduling Issues

"My car started charging right away instead of waiting"

Check these settings:

1. Confirm your car's native schedule is disabled
2. Verify you're at a registered location (not public charging)
3. If your NeoCharge schedule is on, the car can charge for 30 seconds before going into smart schedule mode.

"Schedule isn't starting when expected"

Common causes:

1. Wi-Fi connectivity issues (check app connection status)
2. Utility rate changes (verify your TOU periods)
3. Car API limitations (some models have delays and issues such as Hyundai and Kia). 

Advanced Scheduling Tips for Power Users

Seasonal Optimization:

• Summer: Later start times (AC loads shift grid peak)
• Winter: Earlier start times (heating loads change patterns)

Rate Structure Matching:

• Tiered rates: Spread charging across multiple days
• Demand charges: Avoid overlapping with other high-power devices
• Critical peak pricing: Build in buffer time before emergency rates

Multi-Vehicle Coordination:

• Sequential charging: Finish first car, then start second. Automate this with the NeoCharge Smart Splitter
• Balanced sharing: Both cars ready at same time
• Priority systems: Always charge the commuter car first

Get Started with Smart Scheduling Today

Setting up intelligent EV charging schedules takes just a few minutes but transforms your daily routine. No more charging anxiety, no more surprise bills, no more compromising between cost and convenience.

Your next steps:

1. Download the NeoCharge app (iOS/Android)
2. Set up your utility rates and locations
3. Create your first schedule with finish-by times
4. Plug in tonight and let the savings begin

Ready to make EV charging completely automatic and affordable? Start your free trial today and see exactly how much smarter scheduling can save you.

†Savings vary by utility rates, vehicle type, charging habits, solar setup, and local grid conditions.

Ready to set-and-forget your EV charging? Download NeoCharge and start saving with intelligent scheduling that adapts to your life and your utility rates.