Best EV Tariffs - December 2024
Looking for the best EV tariffs for charging your electric car? Our guide is here to help you save money on charging your EV.
Whether you've already made the switch to an electric car (EV) or you're planning to do so imminently, choosing a domestic energy tariff that takes the sting out of recharging costs will be time well spent.
Switching to a more favourable EV tariff could potentially save you several hundred of pounds each year when charging at home, a benefit that becomes greater the more miles you drive.
Not every EV tariff is the same, of course, meaning some will likely to suit your needs better than others. To help you choose the right one for you, we have rounded-up the best EV tariffs currently on offer so that you can make an informed decision.
Ofgem sets the price caps energy suppliers can charge up to for both the unit rate — the cost for each kWh of electricity — and standing charges. Both of these figures vary depending on which region of Britain you live in, with the caps for October to December 2024 set at:
- Unit rate — 23.19p/kWh in the Northern region to 25.69p/kWh in the London region
- Daily standing charge — 41.59p in the London region to 72.10p in the Northern region
Across the British regions, those average out at 24.50p/kWh and 60.99p per day, respectively.
If you've not yet chosen what your next next EV will be, take a look at our guides to the best electric cars to buy and the cheapest electric cars on sale.
EV Tariff Best Buys - December 2024
| Energy company | Product | Best for |
| British Gas | EV Tariff | Cheapest Standing Charge |
| E.ON | Next Drive | Lower Mileage Drivers |
| E.ON | Next Drive | Lowest Overnight-specific Rate |
| OVO | Charge Anytime | Higher Mileage Drivers |
Best EV tariff providers and rates
These are the best EV tariff rates we've found in the market right now. Here you can compare prices of EV tariffs and find one that will hopefully save you money. This is updated three-monthly.
Intelligent Octopus Go
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Day Rate: 24.47p-27.18p* Night Rate: 7.0p Standing Charge: 39.54p-70.05p/day* Off peak hours: 23:30-05:30 *varies depending on region |
Get the Intelligent Octopus Go EV tariff
What is Intelligent Octopus Go?
It's the dedicated Octopus EV Tariff giving you six hours of super-cheap electricity every night, which you can use to charge your EV and for any other appliances that use overnight power (batteries or heat pumps for instance).
Who is the Intelligent Octopus Go tariff best for?
If you have an EV with a solid range (such as the 250-mile ID.4 below), you will need a wallbox charger (7.4kW as a minimum) in order to make the most of the cheap hours as the window is limited. You'll also very rarely charge during the day. This Octopus EV tariff works with any EV and any charger.
This is approximately how much it would cost to fully charge the Volkswagen ID.4 Match Pro's 77kWh battery over an 11-hour period:
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OVO Charge Anytime
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Day Rate: 22.37p-25.68p* (Standard Variable) Night Rate: N/A Standing Charge: 41.58p-72.09p*(Standard Variable) Off peak hours: N/A EV Charge Rate: 7.0p *varies depending on region |
What is OVO Charge Anytime?
OVO Charge Anytime is the OVO EV smart tariff that charges your car at very cheap rates when demand on the grid is low. You will need a compatible EV and charger to benefit from this and the rate is available for your electric car only — you cannot use the cheaper electricity for any other appliances, unlike other tariffs.
Who is the OVO Charge Anytime tariff best for?
This OVO EV tariff is ideal for the EV owner who is a low electricity user in the home and uses their car infrequently. You can make use of low rates, by having the car plugged in waiting for cheaper charging windows. OVO recently reduced the charge rate from 10p to 7p per kWh.
This is approximately how much it would cost to fully charge the Volkswagen ID.4 Match Pro's 77kWh battery over an 11-hour period:
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British Gas EV
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Day Rate: 23.47p-26.28p* Night Rate: 7.9p Standing Charge: 39.44p-69.95p* Off peak hours: 00:00-05:00 *varies depending on region |
What is British Gas Electric Driver?
It's the British Gas EV tariff created specifically for charging EVs overnight. It works with any EV and charger.
Who is the British Gas Electric Driver tariff best for?
With one of the cheapest standing charges, a low overnight rate and five full hours of charging, this British Gas EV tariff is one of the better tariffs for higher energy consumers. You can use the overnight tariff for everything (not just EVs), meaning you can charge batteries if you have them for later use and/or EV charging too. The five hours of overnight charge will also suit households with slower chargers.
This is approximately how much it would cost to fully charge the Volkswagen ID.4 Match Pro's 77kWh battery over an 11-hour period:
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E.ON Next Drive
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Day Rate: 23.36p-25.86p* Night Rate: 6.7p Standing Charge: 41.59p-72.10p* Off peak hours: 00:00-07:00 *varies depending on region |
What is E.ON Next Drive?
Called E.ON Next Drive, this tariff is designed for EV owners charging overnight. You need a smart meter but it works with any EV and charger.
Who is the E.ON Next Drive tariff best for?
With a longer overnight off-peak charging window than other providers, running from midnight to 7am, the E.ON Next Drive tariff is ideal if you have a large capacity battery EV that requires longer charging times. You need to have a smart meter installed so it can send half hourly updates on your energy use, so it should be very accurate. E.ON is also offering £50 off home charger installation.
This is approximately how much it would cost to fully charge the Volkswagen ID.4 Match Pro's 77kWh battery over an 11-hour period:
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Good Energy EV Charge Tariff
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Day Rate: 28.49p-29.48p* Night Rate: 6.75p Standing Charge: 43.66p-69.54p* Off peak hours: 00:00-05:00 *varies depending on region |
What is the Good Energy EV Charge tariff?
The Good Energy EV offers an off-peak rate of 6.75p/kWh from midnight until 5.00am. You need a smart meter to access the off-peak rates. As a version of the company’s Standard Variable Tariff (SVT) the tariff is variable rather than fixed so can go up as well as down
Who is the Good Energy EV Charge tariff best for?
While the off-peak cheaper charging window is smaller than others, the Good Energy EV tariff still gives five hours of cheaper charging time, so it's ideal for smaller capacity EVs or if you keep your EV regular topped up and don't cover long distances. There's a £75 exit fee so be sure you're ready to commit to Good Energy before signing up.
This is approximately how much it would cost to fully charge the Volkswagen ID.4 Match Pro's 77kWh battery over an 11-hour period: 2.3625+12.3816
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Our cost calculation method explained
In order to make the recharging costs as realistic as possible and make comparisons easier between different energy suppliers, we've used a Volkswagen ID.4 with a 77kWh battery pack.
For each energy supplier, we have used the highest quoted price per unit, which is that charged in the London region. We have not included the daily standing charge within the calculation as the proportion allocated to EV charging will depend upon factors that differ from one household to the next.
Using a 7.4kW wallbox charger, a full 0-100% recharge would take approximately 11 hours. Although the charge rate isn't constant, especially at the beginning and end of the charge, we've taken the liberty of assuming it is for the estimated recharge prices listed above.
We've also taken the number of off-peak (overnight in most cases) hours into account to further enhance the calculation. For instance, five off-peak hours at the cheapest price per unit would still require six hours of charge at the higher unit cost.
While some low-mileage EV drivers may choose to limit their charging periods to coincide with only the off-peak tariffs, many others don't, insteading hooking their car up during the pricier period and not unplugging it again until hours after the lower rate time slot was over.
For wholly off-peak charging, we have multiplied the unit cost by the 77kWh battery size as this could comfortably occur wholly during the more epensive part of the day.
What is an EV tariff?
Instead of using a flat rate tariff for all hours of the day, an Electric Vehicle (EV) tariff offers cheap unit rates for cheaper overnight charging - this could be anything from four to six hours of cheap overnight charging. You need to be able to shift your usage to overnight (for instance if you heat water using electric), as the daytime rates tend to be higher to off-set the cheaper rates. But, if you can make it work, it becomes a very cheap way of charging an EV with rates starting at under 10p/kWh.
Which providers offer tariffs for EVs?
Octopus Energy has led the way with EV tariffs and now offers six different tariffs that will appeal to EV buyers, depending on your needs: Go, Go Faster, Intelligent, Flux, Cosy and Agile. OVO's product is an add-on to its Standard Variable Tariff, while British Gas, Eon and EDF are all recent entrants to the market.
Is it worth moving to an EV tariff?
Nine times out of 10, yes. EV tariffs are usually dual rate so it will cost less to charge your EV when demand for energy is low - in other words overnight. This is ideal for most electric car owners who plug in their car when they get home at the end of the day ready for use in the morning
Will a portable EV charger be available in the UK?
Can I reject my new EV which refuses to charge?
See Also:
Best electric cars 2023
Which cars make the list for this year?
Best used electric cars 2023
Is now the time to to pick up a used EV?
Electric cars with longest range 2023
