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Daanyaal Mahmood
I write about electric cars, schemes, and how they actually work.
Choosing the right EV tariff can be difficult; with all the options and different benefits, most people end up with choice paralysis.
There is no single best EV tariff, it depends on your use case. You can’t just think about what’s cheapest for charging your EV; you’ve also got to think about your household electricity.
Of the straightforward whole-home tariffs we checked, EDF GoElectric has the lowest advertised overnight rate of 6.99p/kWh for seven hours. Intelligent Octopus Go may suit drivers who want automatic smart charging, while OVO Charge Anytime works differently as an EV-only add-on. Your cheapest option overall may still be different once the daytime rate and standing charge for your postcode are included.
| Tariff | Current advertised EV/off-peak rate | Discounted period | Discount applies to | Main requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDF GoElectric | 6.99p/kWh | 11pm–6am | Whole home | EV driver charging at home; fully connected compatible smart meter |
| Intelligent Octopus Go | 8p/kWh | 11:30pm–5:30am, plus qualifying smart slots | Whole home during the core window and qualifying smart slots | Compatible smart meter and eligible EV or charger |
| E.ON Next Drive Smart | 8.1p/kWh | 12am–6am | Whole home | Half-hourly smart-meter consent and eligible EV and charger |
| ScottishPower EV Saver | 8.5p/kWh | 12am–5am* | Whole home | ScottishPower customer; EV and home charger; compatible single-rate smart meter sending half-hourly readings; monthly Direct Debit |
| British Gas EV Power | 9p/kWh | 12am–5am | Whole home | EV charged at home; smart electricity meter; payment by Direct Debit |
| E.ON Next Drive | 9.52p/kWh | 12am–6am | Whole home | Smart meter capable of sending half-hourly readings |
| OVO Charge Anytime — pay-as-you-go add-on | 14p/kWh | Supplier-controlled smart charging; no fixed overnight window | Eligible EV smart charging only | OVO household energy tariff—but not an OVO prepayment/PAYG energy tariff; working smart meter; compatible EV or charger; stable internet connection |
Important: Energy prices, terms and availability change regularly and can vary between regions. Use this table as a starting point and obtain quotes from various suppliers before switching.
Our Shortlist: Which EV Tariff Looks Best for Different Drivers?
Lowest fixed overnight rate: EDF GoElectric at 6.99p/kWh, with seven off-peak hours for the whole home.
Best suited to automated smart charging: Intelligent Octopus Go, provided your EV or charger is compatible.
Worth comparing for a six-hour whole-home window: E.ON Next Drive Smart at 8.5p/kWh.
Simple option with broad vehicle and charger compatibility: British Gas EV Power at 9p/kWh.
Alternative for existing OVO customers: Charge Anytime, where the discount applies to smart EV charging rather than all household electricity.
What Is an EV Tariff?
An EV tariff is an electricity plan designed for people who charge an electric car at home. Most offer cheaper electricity overnight or when demand on the grid is lower.
There are two main types:
Time-of-use tariffs. These charge a lower price during a fixed window, usually overnight, and a higher price at other times. The cheap rate often applies to the whole home, so you may also save by scheduling a dishwasher, washing machine or home battery.
Smart-charging add-ons. These connect to a compatible car or charger and schedule EV charging for selected times. The discounted price or credit normally applies to the car, not everything in the home.
Most EV tariffs require a smart meter capable of sending half-hourly readings. Smart-charging products may also require a compatible electric car, home charger and supplier app.
We have not ranked tariffs by the cheap rate alone. A tariff with a slightly higher overnight rate may cost less overall if its daytime rate, standing charge or exit terms are better for your household.
What to Check Before Switching EV Tariff
1. Your peak rate
If most of your electricity is used during the day, a higher peak rate can erode the saving made on overnight car charging.
2. Your standing charge
Standing charges vary by supplier and region. Include the annual standing-charge total when comparing quotes.
3. The length of the cheap window
A large battery may not fully recharge in a short off-peak window. Consider your charger’s power, usual daily mileage and the amount of energy you normally need to add.
4. Whole-home or EV-only pricing
A whole-home rate can also reduce the cost of appliances or battery charging. An EV-only add-on may offer flexible smart charging without changing what the rest of your home pays.
5. Car and charger compatibility
Some tariffs work with any EV and charger. Others need a supported model or direct connection to an app. Check the latest compatibility list before switching.
6. Smart meter requirements
Most EV tariffs need a meter capable of half-hourly readings. Having a smart meter does not always guarantee that it can communicate correctly with a new supplier.
7. Fixed terms and exit fees
A competitive rate is less attractive if the tariff has an exit fee or long commitment that does not suit you.
8. Solar panels and home batteries
If you generate or store electricity, compare import and export arrangements together. A low import rate may be useful for charging a battery, but switching could affect your export payments or other linked products.
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How Much Could It Cost to Charge an EV at Home?
The examples below assume:
average efficiency of 3.5 miles per kWh;
10% additional electricity for illustrative charging losses; and
all charging happens at the stated rate.
Real efficiency changes with the vehicle, temperature, speed and driving style. Actual losses also vary.
| Annual mileage | Approx. wall electricity | At 6.99p/kWh | At 8p/kWh | At 26.11p/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 miles | 1,571kWh | £110 | £126 | £410 |
| 10,000 miles | 3,143kWh | £220 | £251 | £821 |
| 15,000 miles | 4,714kWh | £329 | £377 | £1,231 |
The 26.11p figure is Ofgem’s average capped electricity unit rate for a Direct Debit customer on a standard variable tariff from 1 July to 30 September 2026. It is a benchmark, not a prediction of your future tariff. Standing charges are excluded because they apply regardless of how much electricity the car uses.
The Cheapest Overnight Rate Is Not Always the Cheapest Tariff
Imagine two households with the same EV:
Household A drives 15,000 miles a year, charges almost entirely overnight and schedules appliances in the cheap window.
Household B drives 5,000 miles a year, works from home and uses most household electricity during the daytime.
Household A is likely to place far more value on a low off-peak rate. Household B may save less on the car and pay more for its daytime electricity. This is why you should compare the estimated annual household cost, not just the price of one overnight unit.
Before switching, gather your annual electricity use and, if possible, half-hourly smart-meter data. Ask each supplier for the same postcode and usage profile, then compare:
estimated annual cost;
peak and off-peak unit rates;
standing charge;
cheap-window length;
fixed term and exit fees;
whole-home versus EV-only treatment; and
compatibility with your car and charger.
What does FleetEvolution use?
At Fleet Evolution, many of our staff drive EVs themselves, so we asked them which energy tariffs they use at home.
Octopus was the most popular choice among our team. Those using Octopus said they had shopped around before choosing their tariff and found its EV rates competitive.
They also highlighted the Octopus app as a useful feature, particularly the way it breaks down electricity usage and costs, making it easier to see how much they’re spending on charging their EV compared with the rest of their household electricity use.
Getting an EV Through Salary Sacrifice?
If you are choosing an electric car through salary sacrifice, include home-charging costs in your budget alongside the monthly salary sacrifice. This is the cheapest method to access a brand new EV, paired with the electricity savings you’ll end up making exponential savings!
The vehicle and electricity agreements are separate: getting an EV through salary sacrifice does not tie you to a particular domestic energy supplier. You can compare tariffs based on your car, charger, mileage and household energy use.
Get in Touch
Fleet Evolution offers innovative salary sacrifice schemes, helping employers and employees save on costs while promoting eco-friendly electric cars. Enjoy easy setup, free maintenance, and swift activation for any company size.
FAQs
Usually, yes. Suppliers generally need half-hourly readings to separate peak and off-peak use or calculate smart-charging credits, it's also a great method to track usage.
Supplier rules vary, but a dedicated home charger is usually the safest and most efficient way to use an EV tariff. Smart products may require a compatible charger or a supported vehicle connection.
Some fixed-window tariffs work with any electric car, while smart-charging tariffs use compatibility lists. Check both your EV and charger before applying.
That depends on the supplier. Some require proof that you own or lease an EV or charge it at home. Others may let you begin the switch and move to the EV tariff once the car, charger and smart meter are ready.
Often, yes, but review the import tariff alongside your export rate and any battery plan. Eligibility and linked-product rules vary by supplier.
It is when your tariff has a lower overnight rate and charging happens inside that window. Standard single-rate tariffs do not become cheaper simply because it is night-time.