Flexibility forward: A survey of smart tariffs optimising electric vehicles and heat pumps in Europe

Europe's energy system increasingly requires flexibility to integrate renewables, enhance resilience, and cut costs, with smart electrification of transport and heating offering significant potential. This study surveyed 480 smart tariffs across Europe and found a threefold increase since 2021/2022. The analysis revealed a complex relationship between the availability of smart tariffs and the market penetration of electric vehicles (EVs), heat pumps, and smart metres. High EV adoption strongly correlates with more tariffs, but the relationship with heat pumps and smart metres is less direct. Dynamic pricing prevails in the market, with 304 tariffs, while local grid signals are underused, appearing in just 34 tariffs.