Smart Electric Vehicles

Discover the Best Electric Vehicle Ecosystems for Your Smart Home.

Integrating your electric vehicle (EV) with Homey unlocks a world of convenience and energy efficiency. You can monitor battery levels, view charging status, and track your vehicle’s location. Homey can also schedule charging, preheat your EV, or lock and unlock it remotely.

This Best Buy Guide explores how Homey integrates with various EV brands and their connected platforms. By combining it with EV chargers or PV systems, you can further optimize your EV’s energy usage.

What to Look for in an EV Ecosystem

EV ecosystems vary widely in features and capabilities, making it essential to prioritize what matters most to you. Whether it’s advanced monitoring, alerts, or EV control, focusing on the right aspects ensures an efficient and connected experience.

Monitoring

Look for an ecosystem with robust tools for monitoring various EV features, such as battery levels, charging status, range, and vehicle location, in real time.

Control

Evaluate the level of control the platform provides. Look for helpful features like managing charging schedules, adjusting climate settings, and locking or unlocking your vehicle remotely.

Alerts

Consider the importance of timely alerts for events such as low batteries, charging interruptions, vehicle movement, or maintenance reminders.

EV Charger Compatibility

Ensure the EV and ecosystem support a wide range of EV chargers, especially if you already own one.

Security and Privacy

Prioritize systems that include encrypted communication, strong authentication, and transparent options for managing your data privacy.

Brand	Monitoring	Control	Alerts	Price1
Audi myAudi				€55,000
BMW ConnectedDrive				€48,000
Hyundai Bluelink				€40,000
Kia Connect				€35,000
Polestar EVs				€49,000
Škoda Connect				€40,000
Tesla EVs				€43,000
Volkswagen We Connect				€37,000

Audi utilizes its myAudi platform to deliver smart connectivity across its vehicle lineup. Electric models such as the Audi Q4 e-tron, e-tron GT, and Q8 e-tron leverage this platform for remote monitoring and control.

Integrating an Audi EV with Homey Pro through the myAudi app unlocks some valuable features. Users can track battery and oil levels, monitor charging status, view current mileage, and get an estimated driving range. They can also receive notifications when the vehicle arrives or leaves home, when charging starts or stops, or get reminders for service inspections or oil changes.

With Homey, users can also remotely control certain myAudi EV features, such as turning on or off the A/C, adjusting fan speed, or activating the window heating feature. They can even flash the lights or sound the car’s horn to help locate their vehicle in a parking lot.

It’s worth noting that the official API for myAudi is limited by the VAG group. Some vehicle models or features may not work as expected.

BMW’s ConnectedDrive platform enables smart connectivity for many vehicles, including electric models like the i4, iX, and i7. The app allows users to integrate their BMW EV with Homey Pro and remotely monitor and manage their vehicle.

Users can lock or unlock the car, adjust climate settings, and locate their vehicle by flashing its lights or sounding the horn. Alerts can notify them when charging starts or stops, the car locks or unlocks, or the A/C is running.

For EVs, Homey lets users track battery levels, monitor charging progress, and send custom messages to the vehicle’s dashboard. The geofencing feature provides live updates on their car’s location, enhancing security and convenience.

ConnectedDrive integrates smoothly with Homey, but the polling interval needs to be set to more than 5 minutes. BMW limits service calls to their API, which may affect the functionality of certain features.

Hyundai’s Bluelink platform offers advanced connectivity features for its EVs. It enables remote access and control for models like the IONIQ, KONA, and Tucson Plug-in Hybrid.

Once integrated into Homey, users can control features such as locking or unlocking the car, controlling the A/C, or using the defrosting mode. Users can also manage battery charging by setting limits or creating schedules.

Additionally, Homey users can monitor key vehicle data, including battery levels, charging status, tire pressure, odometer readings, range, speed, and overall vehicle status. They can set up alerts to notify them when the car locks or unlocks, the engine or A/C turns on or off, defrosting starts or stops, or the vehicle moves or parks. Another handy feature is the ability to view the estimated time to home (ETTH), letting users know when their spouse is expected to arrive home.

It’s worth noting that excessive use of the Hyundai app can drain the car’s battery if the vehicle is not running. Hyundai has set this limitation to prevent the overuse of its services.

Kia uses a platform similar to Hyundai’s Bluelink, called Kia Connect (or Kia UVO in older models), to deliver smart vehicle connectivity. Integration with EVs like the EV6, Kia Niro, and Soul EV enhances vehicle management through monitoring, alerts, and remote controls.

With Homey, users can track key metrics such as battery levels, tire pressure, odometer readings, range, speed, and overall vehicle status. Homey also alerts for important events, such as doors left open or unlocked, the vehicle starting to move, or a drained battery.

Like Hyundai, Kia allows users to start the car remotely, lock or unlock doors, adjust the target temperature, and fully manage the A/C. Additional features, such as preheating the cabin or activating defrosting when needed, are beneficial during winter.

However, Kia imposes platform limits similar to those of Hyundai. Excessive use of the app can drain the car’s battery or even block access to certain services, so careful use is required to avoid these issues.

Polestar, a Swedish automotive brand established in 1996, initially focused on motorsports before evolving into a manufacturer of electric vehicles. Now, Polestar manufactures popular EV models like the Polestar 2, 3, and 4.

Integrating a Polestar EV with Homey allows users to monitor data such as battery levels, charging status, and current power usage. Homey Pro also lets them set up notifications for events like the car starting or stopping charging, connecting or disconnecting from a charger, and completing trips. However, it’s important to note that remote control of vehicle functions is currently unavailable, a limitation imposed by Polestar.

The Polestar app also allows users to link their Tibber account without any extra subscription, enabling efficient energy management for their Polestar vehicle. This integration lets users charge during low-price periods and automatically pause charging when prices are high.

Škoda has expanded its lineup to include electric vehicles (EVs) like the Enyaq iV and Elroq SE and plug-in hybrid models like the Kodiaq iV. These vehicles use the Škoda Connect platform to provide advanced connectivity features.

Integrating a Škoda EV with Homey Pro allows users to monitor real-time vehicle condition and performance data. This includes tracking battery levels, charging status, plug connection, vehicle movement, driven mileage, range, inspection details, oil, and outdoor temperature levels.

Homey also allows users to set up notifications for key events, such as when the car starts or stops charging or when the vehicle arrives or leaves home, keeping them updated on their vehicle’s activities.

In addition to monitoring, Homey enables remote control of features like starting or stopping climatization, ventilation, or window heating, as well as adjusting minimum and maximum charge limits. Users can also flash the lights or honk the vehicle’s horn to locate their car in a parking lot.

However, as part of the VAG group, Škoda’s API also has some limitations. This can result in certain features not functioning as expected or being unsupported altogether.

Tesla, the company that revolutionized and popularized the widespread use of electric vehicles, offers a suite of advanced connectivity features through its Tesla App. Every Tesla vehicle has smart connectivity, allowing users to monitor and control various aspects of their car.

Integrating a Tesla EV with Homey Pro allows users to monitor, receive alerts, and control various aspects of their vehicle. Homey lets them track battery levels, vehicle speed, odometer readings, door lock status, tire pressure (TPMS), and even pending software updates.

Remote control features include locking or unlocking doors, flashing headlights, honking the horn, opening the trunk, and enabling Sentry Mode. This mode is a security feature in Tesla vehicles that is designed to monitor their surroundings when parked. Using the vehicle’s external cameras and sensors, Tesla cars can detect potential threats.

Since Tesla has transitioned to their new Fleet API, certain features have newly set limits. For example, waking the car remotely may sometimes be unreliable or unavailable.

Renowned German automaker Volkswagen offers electric models like the ID.3, ID.4, and ID.5 in its lineup. These vehicles connect through the We Connect platform, providing advanced features for more intelligent driving experiences.

Integrating a Volkswagen EV with Homey Pro enables monitoring, alerts, and control options. Users can track battery levels, charging status, A/C status, charging plug connection, mileage, range, oil levels, and outdoor temperature.

Alerts update users on events like charging start or stop, plug disconnects, or when the car arrives or leaves home. In addition, users can receive notifications about pending service inspections or oil changes. Homey allows them to adjust charge limits and start or stop A/C or window heating. They can also trigger actions like flashing the lights or honking the horn to locate their car.

Additionally, users can refresh data or set update intervals, a helpful feature in the case of VAG group vehicles. Like Škoda and Audi, the Volkswagen API has certain limits that limit the functionality of third-party connected platforms.