Charging at home is the cheapest and most convenient way to add miles to your EV. We've brought together all the best electric car tariffs from Big Six utilities, E.On, British Gas, EDF and Scottish Power, and smart challengers, like Bulb, Ovo and Octopus Energy.
These smart 'time-of-use' tariffs for your electric car mean you pay less, and reduce the carbon behind each mile you drive.
We start with the cheapest off-peak rate, but don't forget to consider the day (or peak) rates and the standing charge.
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4.5p/kWh off-peak
35 hours off-peak/week
GoElectric 35 Jan 22
Day: 19.38p Night: 4.5p Standing charge: 31.37p/day Off-peak: 12am - 5am.
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From 5p per kWh
28 hours off-peak/week
Octopus Go
Day: 14.02p Night: 5p Standing charge: 25.00p/day 4 hours/night off-peak, 12:30-04.30
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Dynamic prices
147 hours off-peak/week
Octopus Agile
Typically -2p to 12p Standing charge: 21.00p/day Price tracks energy wholesale cost, except peak 4-7pm (capped at 35p/kWh)
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From 4.5p per kWh
21-35 hours off-peak/week
Octopus Go Faster
Day: 14.02p Night: 4.5-5.5p Standing charge: 25.00p/day 3,4 or 5 hours/night off-peak, staggered from 20:30 Availability limited - join Go and switch
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Multiple rates
49 hours off-peak/week
Tide 2022
Peak: 32.55p, Off-peak: 7.5p, Normal: 17.99p Standing charge: 31.24p/day Peak: Monday-Friday 4-8pm, Offpeak: midnight-7am
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4.7p/kWh off-peak
35 hours off-peak/week
SmartPower
Day: 17.33p Night: 4.736p Standing charge: 46.06p/day Night tariffs apply from 12am - 5am
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5.99p/kWh off-peak
35 hours off-peak/week
Electric Drivers Energy Plan (Jan 22)
Day: 19.5p Night: 5.99p Standing charge: 25p/day Night tariffs apply from 12am - 5am. Dual fuel only.
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Extended off-peak
98 hours off-peak/week
GoElectric 98 Jan 22
Day: 21.48p Night: 9p Standing charge: 28.22p/day 98 hours of off-peak - 9pm - 7am and all day Saturday and Sunday.
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Public charging included
EV Everywhere
Day: 17.74p Night: 10.6p Fixed for 2 years. £60 exit fees Standing charge: 21.78p/day Economy 7 compatible bp pulse membership (worth £188 over 2 years)
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Trial tariff
Smart Tariff
Day: around 12p Peak: around 25p Standing charge: 20p/day Peak 4-7pm
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£40 off home charger
Green Electricity + EV
Day: 37.03p Night: 15.90p Standing charge: 23.81p/day £40 off a Rolec charger
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850 miles free
Fix and Drive V9
Day: 18.16p Standing charge: 23.24p/day £30 (850 miles) subtracted from your yearly bill
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Green provider
Electric Vehicle Driver 4
Day: 16.27p Standing charge: 29.79/day Economy 7 and Economy 10 available
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2000 miles free
Charge and Drive
Day: 17.43p Standing Charge: 24.4p/day 2,000 free miles equivalent to £80/year
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Up to 8,000 miles free
1 Year Fix and Drive
Day: 17.91p Standing charge: 23.34p/day Up to 8,000 overnight miles credited for charging 12-7am
Calculate your savings See tariff detailsNote: these prices have come either directly from the energy supplier’s website, or have been obtained by contacting the energy supplier directly. These prices are correct for a medium family home in South Wales. Your prices and quotes may differ slightly, in most areas prices will be lower.
For this list, we’ve assumed monthly direct debit payments and paperless bills. If you choose to pay quarterly or annually, or you have paper bills, some of these prices may change.
All EV energy tariffs in the UK guarantee 100% renewable energy, although the way in which they back this promise does vary.
The star ratings given to each supplier are based on customer service, as measured by the Citizen's Advice Bureau.
What's the best EV energy tariff for my use?
An EV adds around a month's electricity use (250 kWh) for every 1,000 miles you drive. An average UK driver doing 8,000 miles would add around £30/month to their electricity bill by charging an electric car without switching tariff.
Find an energy tariff that fits
Check your EV tariff matchWhilst the off-peak rates can be quite appealing, remember that these tariffs might not always offer the best value if you have higher home use that you can't shift - especially if you're not doing very high mileage in your electric car.
Some of these tariffs are compatible with economy 7 and 10 meters - but most work with a smart meter. Speak to your utility about getting a smart meter installed.
How to choose the best tariff
Choosing between EV tariffs can tricky, as you'll have to make a judegement on the amount you will use at peak and off-peak rates. On top of that, you'll have to work out what any extra benefits that the utility has bundled in are worth to you.
Several companies offer 'free miles' when you plug in overnight. But don't forget to look at the rates they give you for electricity at any other time of the day, and the standing charge. Depending on your home use and how much you actually plug your EV in at night, you might end up paying more.
Some, like Ovo Energy, offer a free or discounted charger installed at your home. This might suit you if you are considering buying your first an electric vehicle, but the unit rates might not stack up if you are already set up to charge at home.
Many companies offer you free membership to a nationwide network of road chargers, or a discount on roadside prices. Unless you can't charge at home, or are regularly doing very long journeys, you might find it more convenient to charge overnight at home.
Electric cars, Economy 7 and Economy 10 meters
Most electricity suppliers will require you to fit a smart meter to your property before you can switch to one of their EV tariffs. They will generally do this for free. However, if you can't do this yet (generally because of lack of mobile phone coverage these meters need) it’s also worth looking into having an Economy 7 or Economy 10 meter fitted to your property. This will allow you to take advantage of cheaper rates at off-peak times on several tariffs.
How much does an electric car increase your electricity bill?
Running costs for electric cars are much lower than a conventional car, but charging your car increases your home electricity consumption considerably. One unit (a kWh) will allow you to drive 3.5-4 miles. Some high-mileage drivers nearly double their energy use with home charging. If you don't switch, your bill with double too. As well as switching tariff, you can follow our top tips for saving money on EV charging.
If you are charging an EV at home, you're recommended to install a home charger. You can get government grants for this, and some utility companies will install one for you for free or at a discounted cost. After the government discount, a home charger will set you back a few hundred pounds.
All electric cars are exempt from road tax. For a petrol or diesel car this road tax could be anywhere from £10 per year to over £2,000, so you could realise a pretty significant yearly saving on this alone. Even bigger savings are available to electric company car drivers.
There are other cost savings to be made - for example, electric cars are exempt from the London Ultra Low Emission Zone, meaning that if you live in London, you won’t have to pay the congestion levy. Other cities are following suit, with charges and even bans on certain cars entering.
If you switched to an EV to make a difference with zero-emission miles, why not get a complete picture of the impact you can make with clean home energy? Would solar pay? Does a home battery make sense? As well as finding the best tariff, our free EV and home energy assessment works it all out!