Can I preheat my vehicle during a peak event? 

Yes. Most electric vehicles can be preheated using battery power. By drawing energy from your battery instead of the grid, you maximize your energy reduction during the peak event.

You may lose a few kilometres of range depending on how long and how intensely you preheat, but if you don’t plan to use your full battery that day, it’s still a smart option. 

How does it work?   

With Hilo's smart EV charging solution, everything is automated — by default, your vehicle won’t draw power from the charging station during a peak event. However, if you think you’ll need your full battery that day, you have two options:  

• Preheat your vehicle before the peak event begins. This will maximize your potential savings and is a good option if you’re planning to leave shortly after the event starts. 

• Temporarily remove your charging station from Hilo automation during the event. Ideally, do this about 20 minutes before your departure. Just keep in mind that this will reduce your potential savings. 

Important: If your battery isn’t fully charged at the start of the event, your vehicle may draw extra energy while preheating to top up the battery. And if you return home during the event, be sure not to plug in until it ends — otherwise, your vehicle will start charging at full power immediately.