Best EV Charging Tariffs in the UK: Save Money Charging at Home

Summary

• Off-peak tariffs save up to 50%: Charge overnight when electricity is cheapest.
• Smart tariffs are best for EV owners: Special EV tariffs offer rates as low as 7-10p per kWh overnight.
• Home charging costs 3-5x less than public rapid chargers.

One of the biggest benefits of an electric car is cheap charging at home. But the tariff you're on makes a massive difference to what you pay.

The right tariff can save you hundreds of pounds a year. Here's how to find the best deal.

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How Much Does Home Charging Cost?

On a standard UK electricity tariff, you'll pay about 24-30p per kWh. Charging a typical EV (60 kWh battery) from empty to full costs about £15-£18.

But with a smart EV tariff, you can charge overnight for 7-10p per kWh. That same charge would cost just £4-£6. Over a year, the savings are huge.

Tariff Type	Cost per kWh	Full Charge Cost (60kWh)	Annual Cost (10,000 mi)
Standard flat rate	24-30p	£14 - £18	£600 - £750
Economy 7	12-15p (off-peak)	£7 - £9	£300 - £375
Smart EV tariff	7-10p (off-peak)	£4 - £6	£175 - £250
Public rapid charger	50-85p	£30 - £51	£1,250 - £2,125

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Best EV-Specific Tariffs

Several UK energy companies offer special tariffs designed for EV owners:

• Octopus Intelligent Go: 7-10p per kWh from 11:30pm to 5:30am. Works with compatible chargers and cars to optimise charging automatically.
• OVO Charge Anytime: Cheap overnight rates for EV charging. Requires a smart meter.
• EDF GoElectric: Lower overnight rates for EV owners with a smart meter.
• British Gas Electric Drivers: Off-peak EV rate overnight with a dedicated EV tariff.

You need a smart meter: Most EV tariffs require a smart meter so your supplier can track when you use electricity. If you don't have one, ask your supplier to install one — it's free.

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How to Switch to an EV Tariff

1. Check you have a smart meter. If not, request one from your current supplier.
2. Compare EV tariffs. Use comparison sites or check directly with suppliers.
3. Consider the whole bill. Some EV tariffs have higher daytime rates. Make sure the overall cost is lower based on your usage.
4. Set your car or charger to charge off-peak. Most EVs and smart chargers let you schedule charging times.

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Home vs Public Charging Costs

Home charging is always cheaper than public charging. Here's the comparison for 10,000 miles a year:

• Home (smart EV tariff): About £175-£250 per year.
• Home (standard tariff): About £600-£750 per year.
• Public rapid chargers: About £1,250-£2,125 per year.

Even on a standard tariff, home charging is much cheaper than petrol. A petrol car doing the same mileage would cost £1,400-£1,800 in fuel.

Use our fuel finder to compare current petrol and diesel prices near you.

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Solar Panels and EV Charging

If you have solar panels, you can charge your EV for free during daylight hours. Some smart chargers (like the myenergi zappi) automatically use excess solar energy to charge your car.

This is the cheapest possible way to run an EV. The electricity costs you nothing — the sun does the work.

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Tips to Save More on EV Charging

• Always charge at home when possible. Public charging should be a backup, not the norm.
• Use free chargers. Some supermarkets (Tesco, Lidl) offer free slow charging while you shop.
• Charge to 80%: Charging 80-100% is slow and uses more energy per mile added. Stop at 80% for daily use.
• Drive efficiently: Smooth driving uses less energy. Read our fuel saving tips — many apply to EVs too.

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The right electricity tariff is the single biggest way to save money with an EV. Switch to a smart EV tariff, charge overnight, and you could run your car for less than £5 a week. That's hard to beat.

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