Best Time to Charge Your EV in the UK: Off-Peak Hours Explained (2026)

The Short Answer

The cheapest time to charge your EV at home in the UK is overnight, typically between 11:30pm and 6:00am depending on your tariff. Off-peak electricity rates for EV owners range from 7–9.5p/kWh, compared to 25–32p/kWh during the day. Charging during these hours can save you £400–600 per year compared to charging on a standard tariff.

Every UK EV Tariff's Off-Peak Window

Here's when the cheap electricity kicks in on every major EV tariff available in the UK in 2026:

For a deeper comparison of these tariffs including annual costs, see our best EV tariff guide or the full tariff comparison page.

How Much Can You Actually Save?

Let's put real numbers on it. For a typical UK EV driver doing 10,000 miles per year with an average efficiency of 3.5 miles per kWh:

The difference between off-peak and standard tariff charging is roughly £40–50 per month — enough to cover the cost of the charger itself within a year or two. For a detailed breakdown of payback periods, see our charger payback calculator.

Is Your Off-Peak Window Long Enough?

A common concern is whether a 4–6 hour off-peak window is enough to fully charge your EV. The answer is almost always yes:

For larger batteries, Octopus Intelligent Go is ideal because it grants additional off-peak slots beyond the standard 6-hour window when paired with a compatible smart charger like the Ohme Home Pro. This means your car can receive cheap electricity for 8–10 hours or more on many nights.

For most UK drivers who top up 20–40 miles of range per day (rather than doing a full 0–100% charge), even the shortest 4-hour window on Octopus Go is plenty — 4 hours at 7 kW adds roughly 100 miles of range.

Three Ways to Hit the Off-Peak Window

1. Use Your Car's Built-In Scheduler

Every modern EV has a charging scheduler in its infotainment system or companion app. Set your departure time and preferred charge level, and the car handles the rest. This works with any charger — even a basic one — because the car itself delays when it draws power. Best for: simple fixed-window tariffs like Octopus Go.

2. Use Your Charger's App

Smart chargers like the Ohme Home Pro, Hypervolt Home 3 Pro, and Wallbox Pulsar Max all have scheduling features in their apps. The advantage over the car's scheduler is that charger apps often integrate directly with your tariff — the Ohme in particular communicates with Octopus, OVO, and British Gas to find additional cheap slots automatically. Best for: Octopus Intelligent Go and other smart tariffs.

3. Manual Plug-In Timing

The simplest approach: just plug in when the off-peak window starts. No apps, no scheduling. This works fine if you're a night owl, but most people prefer set-and-forget automation. If you're using a 3-pin plug or a basic charger without smart features, setting a plug-in timer socket (around £10) is a cheap workaround.

Off-Peak Charging Is Also Greener

Charging overnight isn't just cheaper — it's often cleaner. The UK grid tends to have a higher proportion of wind and nuclear power overnight when demand is low, and a lower proportion of gas peaking plants. By charging between midnight and 6am, you're typically drawing more renewable energy than you would during the daytime peak.

This is also why energy companies offer cheap off-peak rates — they want to shift demand to overnight hours when supply exceeds demand. You save money, they balance the grid, and the carbon intensity of your charging drops. Everyone wins.

What If You Can't Charge Overnight?

If you work night shifts or have other reasons you can't charge during the standard off-peak window:

• Octopus Agile offers variable 30-minute pricing slots throughout the day. Prices often dip during mid-afternoon (12–4pm) when solar generation peaks.
• Solar panels let you charge for free during daylight hours — see our solar charging guide and best solar charger picks.
• EDF GoElectric offers the longest fixed off-peak window at 7 hours (11pm–6am), giving you the most flexibility.
• OVO Charge Anytime uses smart scheduling to find cheap slots throughout the day — see our OVO Charge Anytime review.

Getting Started

1. Check your current tariff — if you're on a standard variable tariff, you're paying 25p+ per kWh to charge. Switching to an EV tariff takes minutes and saves hundreds per year.
2. Get a smart meter — required for all EV tariffs. Request one from your supplier (free of charge).
3. Choose your tariff — Compare all UK EV tariffs →
4. Set your schedule — whether via your car, your charger, or a simple timer, make sure you're hitting the off-peak window every night.

Not sure which charger to pair with your tariff? See our best chargers for smart tariffs guide or take our 60-second quiz.

Compare EV tariffs → | Compare home chargers → | Get free installation quotes →