I’m thrilled to share my journey of setting up an efficient system to track my monthly EV charging costs using Home Assistant. After finally installing my Go-E Charger as a wallbox, I wanted a seamless way to monitor and calculate my energy usage and costs without diving deep into the Home Assistant database, which I’ve had issues with in the past.
Initially, I explored the Utility Meter Integration, but it didn’t quite meet my needs since it only provided new values without historical data. I wanted a solution that would automatically send me an email or message at the start of each month with the previous month’s kWh usage and the associated costs. After some research and tweaking, I found a reliable method that involves leveraging the built-in sensors from my Go-E Charger and setting up a custom automation.
Here’s how I did it:
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Sensor Setup: I utilized the Total Charged sensor provided by the Go-E Charger’s custom component. This sensor gives me the total kWh charged, which is essential for calculating monthly usage.
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Automation: I created an automation that triggers at the first day of every month. This automation retrieves the total kWh from the previous month, calculates the cost by multiplying the kWh by my energy price (0.287 per kWh), and sends me an email with both values.
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Stability Considerations: To avoid relying heavily on the Home Assistant database, I ensured that my setup doesn’t depend on historical data stored there. This makes the system more resilient, especially after database resets, which I’ve unfortunately experienced before.
This setup has been a game-changer for me, providing clear insights into my charging habits and costs without any hassle. I’m excited to see how this system performs over time and if I can further optimize it. If anyone has suggestions or alternative methods, I’d love to hear them!
Thanks to the Home Assistant community for all the resources and support that made this possible!