How does PlugStream Sense use vehicle data?
PlugStream Sense combines information about your vehicle, charger, energy tariff and ready-by time to make better charging decisions.
Adding a vehicle gives Sense more context about what you drive and how much energy it may need. Where a supported vehicle connection is available, Sense can use fresh battery and charging data instead of relying only on an energy estimate.
Why should I add my vehicle?
An EV charger can measure the energy it delivers, but it does not normally know the battery level at the start of a session or the level you want to reach.
A vehicle profile helps PlugStream Sense understand more of that charging journey. Depending on the vehicle and connection available, it can use:
- vehicle manufacturer and model
- usable battery capacity that you confirm
- current battery state of charge (SOC)
- target state of charge
- whether the vehicle is plugged in or charging
- your selected tariff and ready-by time
- charger availability and readiness
Sense uses these inputs to estimate the energy required and plan when the charger should deliver it. PlugStream controls the charger only; it does not control your vehicle.
Which vehicles can I add?
You can add any vehicle manufacturer and model to PlugStream Sense.
Connected vehicle data is currently available as a beta for compatible Tesla vehicles. Adding another vehicle does not connect to its manufacturer account. It creates a private vehicle profile and helps PlugStream understand which integrations customers would find most useful next.
How does the Tesla beta work?
When you select Tesla, the app offers the option to connect your Tesla account. The connection is read-only and is used for the battery and charging information needed by PlugStream Sense.
The beta can show supported information such as:
- current state of charge
- Tesla charge limit
- plugged-in and charging state
- AC charging power
- when the information was last updated
Not every Tesla supports the required telemetry. If a vehicle is not compatible, it can still be saved in PlugStream Sense and used with an energy estimate.
What if I do not want to connect my Tesla account?
Connecting a Tesla account is optional.
Choose Continue without connecting when adding the vehicle. The app will then ask for the vehicle and battery details PlugStream Sense can use to estimate charging needs.
When setting up Sense for a charger, choose Continue with an energy estimate to enter how much energy you want to add. These values stay hidden until you choose this route.
You can connect a supported vehicle later from Settings → PlugStream Sense.
How do I add or connect a vehicle?
- Open the MyPlugStream app.
- Go to Settings.
- Select PlugStream Sense.
- Select Add a vehicle.
- Choose the manufacturer.
- For a compatible Tesla, choose Connect Tesla account and complete the secure Tesla sign-in and pairing steps.
- For another vehicle, or if you prefer not to connect Tesla, enter the requested vehicle details and save them.
After a compatible Tesla is connected, confirm its usable battery capacity. Sense needs this value to estimate the energy required between the current and target state of charge.
What information does PlugStream store?
For a vehicle added without a manufacturer connection, PlugStream stores the manufacturer, model, optional model year, optional vehicle name and optional usable battery capacity. The app does not ask for the registration, VIN or location for this type of profile.
For a connected Tesla, provider identifiers and credentials are protected by the PlugStream platform and are never displayed in the app or written to application logs. PlugStream collects only the vehicle and charging signals required by Sense and does not retain vehicle location.
What happens if connected data is unavailable?
PlugStream Sense will not make a new vehicle-assisted charging decision from stale, unsupported or unavailable data. The app will explain the connection state and let you continue with an energy estimate instead.
If data becomes temporarily unavailable after a safe charging plan has already been applied, PlugStream can keep that plan in place while pausing further vehicle-assisted changes.
Can PlugStream start, stop or change settings in my vehicle?
No. The Tesla connection is read-only. PlugStream Sense sends charging instructions to your PlugStream charger and does not issue vehicle or charging commands to Tesla.
How do I remove a vehicle connection?
Open Settings → PlugStream Sense, select the vehicle and choose Disconnect or Remove.
Disconnecting removes the vehicle connection and stops that vehicle from supplying new data to Sense. Any charger-specific vehicle binding is also cleared so another vehicle cannot inherit its charging plan.
Beta availability
Connected Tesla data is a beta feature and requires a compatible vehicle, an active Tesla account connection and fresh telemetry. Other manufacturers can still be added while PlugStream evaluates future integrations.
Still need help?
Contact PlugStream Support and include enough detail for the team to find your charger and understand what happened.
- Phone: 0300 180 0403
- Email: support@plugstream.co.uk
Please include:
- charger serial number, if you have it
- MyPlugStream account email or site contact email
- LED colour or Charger readiness message
- what you expected to happen and what happened instead
- photos of the charger, cable, connector, or installation area if relevant
- screenshots from the MyPlugStream app if relevant