Smarter charging decisions with PlugStream Sense and vehicle data

Smart charging decisions depend on context.

Your charger knows whether it is online, whether a cable is connected and how much energy has passed through the meter. Your energy tariff can show when electricity is cheaper. Your ready-by time explains when the vehicle needs to be prepared for the next journey.

What the charger does not normally know is how full the vehicle battery is when you plug in.

PlugStream Sense brings those signals together. Adding a vehicle gives Sense more information about the charging job ahead, while connected vehicle data can provide a clearer view of the energy required.

Why vehicle data changes the charging decision

A request to add 40 kWh is useful, but it is still an estimate. A vehicle reporting 62% battery with an 80% target gives PlugStream Sense a more specific starting point.

With usable battery capacity confirmed by the customer, Sense can estimate the grid energy required to move from the current state of charge to the target. It can then consider:

• the selected electricity tariff
• the time the vehicle needs to be ready
• whether the charger is online, available and free from faults
• whether both the vehicle and charger report a valid plug-in
• the energy the charger has already delivered during the session

The result is a charging plan based on both sides of the connection: what the vehicle needs and what the charger can safely deliver.

That does not mean the vehicle gives up control. The vehicle still decides whether it will accept energy, and its own settings and charge limit still matter. PlugStream Sense controls the charger only.

Add any vehicle to PlugStream Sense

The MyPlugStream app does not assume every customer drives the same car.

Customers can add any vehicle manufacturer and model from Settings → PlugStream Sense. This creates a private vehicle profile and gives Sense useful context for energy estimates. It also helps PlugStream understand which manufacturer integrations customers would value next.

For a vehicle added without a manufacturer connection, the app asks only for useful profile and charging details. It does not ask for the vehicle registration, VIN or location.

Connected Tesla data is available in beta

Tesla is the first supported connected vehicle provider for PlugStream Sense.

Owners of compatible vehicles can choose Connect Tesla account and complete Tesla's secure authorisation and pairing journey. The connection can supply read-only information such as:

• current battery state of charge
• the Tesla charge limit
• plugged-in and charging state
• AC charging power
• the age and freshness of the latest data

The connection does not allow PlugStream to unlock, wake, start, stop or change charging settings in the vehicle. PlugStream does not request or retain Tesla location data.

Not every Tesla supports the telemetry needed for vehicle-assisted planning. An unsupported vehicle can still be saved and used with an energy estimate.

Connected data remains a choice

Customers remain in control of whether they connect a vehicle account.

When Tesla is selected, MyPlugStream presents the connected beta first because it can give Sense the clearest charging picture. Customers who prefer not to connect can choose Continue without connecting. The vehicle and energy-estimate fields are then revealed.

The same approach applies when setting up PlugStream Sense for a charger. Connected vehicle data is offered first; Continue with an energy estimate reveals the amount of energy to add.

This keeps the main journey focused while preserving a straightforward route for every vehicle.

Designed to fail safely

Vehicle data must be fresh and consistent with the charger before Sense can use it for a new automatic decision.

Stale telemetry, an unsupported vehicle, a plug-state mismatch or a connection that needs authorisation will not trigger vehicle-assisted charging. Boost, Charge Now and other direct customer choices continue to take priority.

If vehicle data becomes temporarily unavailable after a safe charging plan is installed, PlugStream can retain that plan while pausing further vehicle-assisted changes. The customer sees the degraded state rather than Sense making decisions from uncertain data.

Better context without vehicle control

PlugStream Sense is designed around a clear boundary:

• the vehicle can provide read-only charging context where supported
• PlugStream combines that context with tariff, time and charger readiness
• the PlugStream charger remains the only device the platform controls

That boundary makes it possible to improve charging decisions without asking for wider access to the vehicle.

Try it in MyPlugStream

Open the MyPlugStream app, go to Settings, then choose PlugStream Sense to add a vehicle.

Compatible Tesla owners can connect their account during the beta. Every other customer can add their vehicle and continue with an energy estimate while PlugStream uses customer demand to prioritise future manufacturer support.

For setup steps, privacy details and answers about compatibility, read How PlugStream Sense uses vehicle data.