Electric vehicle energy tariffs
What are they and how do they work?
Energy suppliers are again offering tariffs aimed at electric vehicle owners. If you're one of the million EV owners in the UK, should you go for one? This guide helps you decide if they're worth it.
What are electric vehicle energy tariffs?
As the name suggests, these are energy tariffs aimed at owners of electric vehicles (EVs) that use their home electricity to charge their car. There are generally two types of EV tariffs:
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Two-rate tariffs, that offer cheaper electricity overnight. The most common type of EV tariff offers two different electricity rates depending on the time of day, with much lower rates at night. This means you can charge your car – or run your dishwasher, washing machine, etc (there are often no stipulations on what you can use the cut-price electricity for) – very cheaply overnight. This is similar to how Economy 7 tariffs work.
If you make full use of the cheap overnight rate, the best two-rate deal generally works out cheaper than capped standard variable tariffs. See What EV tariffs are available? for our full analysis.
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'Add-on' tariffs where you can only charge your car on the cheaper rate. With this type of 'tariff', you'll get a cheap rate to charge your EV at anytime, while all other electricity use in your home will be charged at your existing tariff rates. But you'll need to have a compatible EV and a smart charger.
Currently, only Ovo and Scottish Power offer this, so if you're an existing customer of either of these, or choose to switch to one of them, you can add the EV charging tariff to whichever Ovo or Scottish Power tariff you're on.
You can usually only get these tariffs if you own an EV (suppliers say they reserve the right to ask for proof of ownership). For more on owning an EV, or if you're thinking of getting one, see our full Electric Vehicles guide.
Eight electric vehicle energy tariff need-to-knows
Energy tariffs for EVs are a bit more complicated than your standard gas and electricity deal, so before we go through the tariffs, here are some tips to help you navigate the market...
The cost to charge your EV at home depends on its battery size, how many miles you drive, and whether you top-up at public charging points.
For example, a Nissan Leaf uses about 38 kilowatt hours of electricity to fully charge - doing this once a week would add 1,976kWh a year to your bill, which would cost roughly an extra:
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Around £2.50 per week (£133/year) on the cheapest EV tariff. Provided you ONLY charge your car when the rate is cheap.
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Around £10 per week (£530/year) on a standard variable tariff. Based on average rates under the current Price Cap.
Remember, this is only the cost of charging your EV – you still need to pay for household electricity costs, gas (if you use it), and the daily standing charges.
Electric cars are generally much cheaper to run than petrol or diesel cars – and by far the biggest savings you can make will come from the fuel.
This guide is all about EV tariffs for charging your EV at home, yet there are 10,000s of public electric car charging points if you need to top-up when you're out and about. See how to find your nearest public charge point.
EV tariffs typically offer different rates at different times of day, so are often too complex to have listed on comparison sites, making it harder to know which tariff is best. You'll have to go direct to suppliers to get a quote or compare rates.
For info on how to compare, see how to find your cheapest EV tariff.
Some EV tariffs are only available to existing customers of the supplier. That means if you're not already a customer, to get the tariff you'll need to switch to one of the supplier's regular energy tariffs, then switch to its EV tariff.
This is usually the case for two-rate EV tariffs – where there are cheaper rates overnight, and higher rates during the day.
Your supplier needs this to track your electricity usage throughout the day, allowing it to offer cheaper rates during off-peak hours. If you have an older smart meter that goes 'dumb' when switching, you may need to get a new one installed. See our Smart meters guide for more info.
Some EV energy tariffs are electricity-only, which means that if your home also has gas, you'll need to have a separate tariff for it.
However, some firms do offer dual-fuel EV tariffs. But remember, the main benefit of EV tariffs is the cheap rates overnight, which you won't get for your gas supply.
So even if it does offer a dual-fuel tariff, it may still be worth checking you're not overpaying on your gas, and then opting to have two different suppliers. Although right now, most households are paying the Price Cap for gas anyway.
Charging your EV at home can take hours, especially without the proper equipment. According to the RAC, charging a typical 40kWh EV battery from empty could take as long as 17 hours using a standard household three-pin socket (there are also safety issues in doing this).
What's more, if you've gone for a two-rate tariff, cheaper overnight rates for four or five hours won't really help, if takes as long as 17 hours to actually charge your car.
So if you can afford it and have the space, it's a good idea to get a dedicated wall-mounted charging point for your vehicle – these gadgets can charge your car around three times faster than a standard plug.
For more info, see our full electric vehicle guide.
That's because the Price Cap only applies to default tariffs (typically this means Standard Variable Tariffs, or SVTs).
For full info see our Price Cap FAQs guide, and our Is it time to fix my energy tariff? guide to see what fixed deals are currently available.
Some suppliers adjust their EV tariff's cheap off-peak hours when the clocks go forward for British Summer Time (BST) at the end of March each year. This means you could end up charging your car during what you think is off-peak, when in fact you're paying the pricey peak rate.
So it's best to find out from your supplier exactly what your cheap hours are during BST.
Charging an EV will typically add £100s to your energy bill – but it's still likely cheaper than petrol or diesel
EV tariffs aren't on comparison sites so they can be difficult to compare
Some EV tariffs are only available to existing customers so you'll need to switch
To get an EV energy tariff, you'll need a smart meter
Some EV tariffs are for your electricity only – you may need to get a separate gas tariff
If you're charging at home, it's best to get a home EV charge point, as it will be much faster and safer
Most EV tariff are not covered by Ofgem's energy Price Cap
Be careful when the clocks change
What are the cheapest EV tariffs?
Tariffs change regularly and new ones are launched all the time, but below are the top deals aimed at electric vehicle owners.
To help you compare, we've worked out the average electricity rates on offer, and the average annual price. As there are no official figures on average consumption for someone with an electric vehicle, we've taken typical use for a dual-fuel household, and added an extra 1,976 kWh/yr (52weeks x 38kWh) electricity use for the electric vehicle – enough to charge a Nissan Leaf from empty to full once a week (that'd get you about 160 miles). We've assumed your EV will only be charged in off-peak hours, and that you'll want gas as well, so have given average dual-fuel prices.
While it might not be an entirely accurate figure, it gives us a base for comparison – but be aware these tariffs are complicated to compare, so this as a list of who to try, rather than which one is best.
For the tariffs below (with the exception of the 'add-on' tariffs, which don't have peak pricing), the peak rate and standing charges are similar to the April Price Cap. Make sure you check specific rates for your region.
Supplier and tariff info | Off-peak hours | Off-peak rate | Exit fees | Average cost /year (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Most homes are on a price-capped tariff, so we've used the April Price Cap to benchmark (average elec rate: 27.03p per kWh, gas: 6.99p per kWh).Annual price £2,383 | ||||
EDF GoElectric Jun26 | 12am to 5am | 8.99p/kWh (3) | £75/fuel | £1,889 (2) |
E.on Next Next Drive v6 | 12am to 7am | 6.7p/kWh | None | £1,894 |
British Gas Electric Driver v15 | 12am to 5am | 7.9p/kWh (4) | £50/fuel | £1,938 |
Ovo Charge Anytime (7) | Anytime | 7p/kWh | None | £1,998 |
Octopus Energy Intelligent Octopus Go (7) | 11.30pm to 5.30am | 7p/kWh | None | £2,019 (2) |
Scottish Power EV Optimise (7) | Anytime | 10p/kWh | None | £2,047 |
Octopus Energy Octopus Go | 12.30am to 5.30am | 8.5p/kWh | None | £2,049 (2) |
Scottish Power EV Saver | 12am to 5am | 7.2p/kWh | £50/fuel | £2,068 |
Utility Warehouse Variable rate EV tariff | 12am to 5am | 7p/kWh to 8.5p/kWh (5) | None | £2,160 (5) |
EDF EVolve Tracker May26 | 12am to 5am | 14.86p/kWh | £25/fuel | £2,186 |
Ecotricity One-year Fixed EV tariff | 12am to 5am | 8p/kWh | £100/fuel | £2,216 |
Good Energy EV Charge | 12am to 5am | 6.75p/kWh | £75/fuel | £2,244 (2), (6) |
Correct as of 10 April 2025. (1) Based on typical dual-fuel use plus 1,976 kWh/yr for your EV. (2) Assumed suppliers' average standard variable rate for gas. (3) 8.49p/kWh off-peak rate if you bought a Podpoint home charger since 18 Oct 2023. (4) Get 4p credit for every kWh you use your Hive home charger (2p if use less than six hours). (5) Off-peak rate varies depending on number of services you take. We've assumed the least number of services so most expensive tariff. (6) Get a free Premium subscription to Zapmap, usually £29.99/year or £2.99/month. (7) Not compatible with all EVs and chargers. Check supplier website for details: Octopus, Ovo, Scottish Power.
The Agile Octopus Tracker tariff – prices change half-hourly based on wholesale rates
Octopus Energy has another tariff worth considering if you've got an electric vehicle, but it's not specifically an EV tariff. Agile Octopus is a variable tariff where the rates you pay for energy can change half hourly, based on wholesale prices, with rates typically cheaper overnight and during the middle of the day.
It's not right for everyone, but if you use the tariff the right way and take advantage of the off peak rates to charge your EV, it could mean big savings. We've full info in Should you fix? guide.
British Gas 'FreeCharge' – free charging if you have a Hive charger
British Gas has launched its FreeCharge scheme, offering new and existing customers up to 8,000 miles of free EV charging, if you buy a Hive home charger (you don't have to use British Gas to install it and you can't already have one).
You don't need to have a specific electricity tariff, but you do need to have a smart meter and activate the FreeCharge function in the Hive app. Your electricity bill will be credited according to the amount of energy you've used to charge your EV. You can find out more information on the Hive website.
In addition, if you have a Hive home charger, you can get up to 4p bill credit for every kWh of electricity you use to charge your car (you need need to be charging for six hours or more, otherwise the rate drops to 2p/kWh). This offer can be used with any of British Gas' electricity tariffs, not just its EV tariff.
How to calculate YOUR cheapest tariff (you'll usually have to do it manually)
Electric vehicle tariffs can be complex, and they generally don't appear on comparison sites, which makes it much harder to work out if they're a good or not. We've a few tips below on how to check.
If you do go for a fixed EV tariff, do remember to bear in mind any exit fees you'd need to pay to leave the tariff if prices started falling elsewhere and you wanted to ditch it.
Two-rate tariffs are generally the cheapest EV tariffs, but they're trickier to compare
Here's a rough way of working it out:
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Find out how much electricity your EV will use. Work out how many kWh it'll take to charge your car for the mileage you'll likely do (check the car's stats online if you've not yet bought it).
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Work out how much it'd be on the EV tariff.
- Get overnight (or EV charging) rates for the EV tariff and multiply that by the amount you need to charge your car (we're assuming here you only charge off-peak, if not, adjust your maths).
- Get peak day rates for the EV tariff to work out a cost for your normal electricity use (you'll see that on an old bill – deduct your car use if you've got one already)
- Add costs for normal electricity use and EV charging together (if you have gas too, you'll need to add that as well in a similar way).
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Work out how much it'd be on a regular tariff. Get a quote from suppliers for regular tariffs and put in your total use in (including EV use) and you'll see a a projected cost for the next year.
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Then compare the total cost for an EV tariff versus a regular tariff. Do the maths to work out what is cheapest (remember to factor in gas if needed).
Single-rate tariffs are generally pricier, but are easier to compare
Find out how much your EV needs as above and add that to your usual use (if you don't already have an EV), then get an annual quote of the price directly from the EV tariff supplier. Simply make a note of that quote, then compare that to quotes you get elsewhere.
How to get an EV tariff – you may need to be an existing customer
To sign up to an EV tariff, you'll usually need to go direct to the supplier, you won't be able switch via any comparison sites. What's more, some electric vehicle deals are only available to existing customers. If you're already with the firm you want an EV tariff from, then it's easy, but if not there's a few more steps involved:
If you're an existing customer, it's easy
If you're already with the supplier that's offering your EV tariff of choice, it's super-easy, just ask it to move you over to the EV tariff.
If you don't have a smart meter the supplier can read, you'll need to get one installed. This could take a few weeks, but once that's sorted you can be moved on to the EV tariff immediately.
If you're a new customer, you may need to switch to a regular tariff first
If you're not currently with the supplier you want an EV tariff from, you may need to switch to its standard variable tariff before you can be moved on to it:
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Step 1: Switch to the standard tariff with the firm that's offering your EV tariff. Make sure you pick its cheapest deal, as you're likely to be on this for a few weeks. However, due to the energy crisis, most firms only offer their standard variable tariff right now,
Once you've switched to it, then you'll need to ask it to switch you to the EV tariff – you can either contact it by phone or email, or some will let you request it through your online account.
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Step 2: Get a smart meter installed if you don't already have one. Most EV tariffs rely on smart meters to work, so the supplier can track your use throughout the day and offer cheaper night-time rates.
So you'll need to wait until your supplier can arrange installation before you can move across to the EV tariff. If you already have smart meters, you may still need to wait a few weeks while your supplier connects to your meters.
Once your smart meters are installed and your supplier is receiving readings from them, you should be moved across to the EV tariff.
Some EV tariffs are for electricity-only, so don't forget to sort your gas tariff
If your EV tariff is an electricity-only tariff, don't forget to sort out your gas tariff. It's likely you'll need to remain on the standard variable tariff for your gas, either with your existing firm or with the EV tariff provider.
What is smart charging?
Smart charging is a way of automatically charging your EV when national demand for electricity is lower (such as at night), when there's lots of renewable energy on the grid or when energy rates are cheaper (depending on what tariff you're on).
You can let your smart charger work out the best time to charge, or schedule it to complete charging by a particular time or to a specified battery level. It's all controlled via an app that connects to your charger, or you can control it on the charge point itself.
You can always override smart charging at anytime. There's usually an option on your charge point or app that lets you charge immediately.
Combine a smart charger with an EV tariff to cut electricity bills
Smart charging can help you save on your electricity bill, if you combine it with a special EV tariff that offers lower off-peak electricity rates. Just make sure to schedule your smart charger to take advantage of the cheaper overnight rates.
From July 2022, all new charge points installed in UK private homes and workplaces must have smart functionality. If you have an older charge point without smart functionality, you can still take advantage of cheaper off-peak charging by signing up to an EV tariff, and manually plugging your EV in to charge at those cheaper tariff-specific times.
Alternatively, with some EVs, like Tesla, you can schedule charging at off-peak times via the car itself.
A standard solar panel system can generate enough electricity to fully charge an electric car. With the right EV charger, you can charge your car directly from your solar panels during the day – and it won't cost you a penny (if your panels can generate enough electricity).
But if you need to charge your EV at night (as most EV owners do), you’ll need a solar storage battery to store the energy generated throughout the day, which you can then use to charge your car overnight – for free. But bear in mind, it will take longer to charge an EV using solar compared to directly off the grid.
If you're thinking about getting solar panels for your home, see our Solar panels guide for more info.
The Government is offering homeowners and renters with access to adequate street parking a grant of up to £350 (including VAT) towards the cost of installing an EV charge point at home.
Can I get cheap charging at home without a smart charger?
You could charge your EV for free with solar panels
A Government grant could help towards the cost of a home charge point
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