Ford Explorer EV Home Charging UK: Cost per Charge, Time & Best Chargers
Vehicle guide
The 79 kWh Explorer Extended Range fills in about 10½ hours on a 7 kW wallbox and costs about £6 on an off-peak tariff. Ford's Intelligent Go link is the best in the business; the LFP Standard Range plays by different rules.
Battery
79 kWh
20–80% at home
~6h 55m
AC limit
11 kW
20–80% at 7.6p
£3.60
Range
~275 mi
Charging time estimates
Approximate AC charging times
| Charge window | 3-pin (~2.3kW) | 7kW | 11kW max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20–80% | 22h 15m | 7h 20m | 4h 40m |
| 0–100% | 37h 5m | 12h 10m | 7h 45m |
Assumes 8% charging losses and rounded 5-minute estimates. 3-pin assumes about 2.3kW; 7kW uses up to 7kW; three-phase only appears when the vehicle can accept more than 7.4kW AC.
Vehicle-specific tariff cost
Ford Explorer Extended Range RWD charging cost at 10,000 miles.
EV electricity only, using 3.5 miles per kWh and assuming every charging kWh reaches the listed lower rate. Household electricity and the postcode-dependent standing charge sit outside these figures.
Compare the full household bill, eligibility and achievable off-peak share in the EV tariff decision guide.
Charger picks
Ford Explorer Extended Range RWD: 3 chargers we’d pick
Picked for the trade-offs that matter most when you’re buying for Ford Explorer Extended Range RWD specifically.
Best fit for Ford Explorer Extended Range RWD
Tesla Tesla Wall Connector (Gen 3)A 7.3 m cable for a long car with a rear-right socket and a four-year warranty at £475; Ford's own Octopus integration does the scheduling.
- Price
- £475
- Power
- 7.4kW / 22kW
Intelligent Go in the charger for the nights FordPass is slow to notice the plug.
- Price
- £559
- Power
- 7.4kW
Supplier links plus solar diversion; a 79 kWh pack puts a summer surplus to good use.
- Price
- £684
- Power
- 7kW / 22kW
The hardware
The Explorer is built on VW's MEB platform, so the Type 2 inlet is on the rear right wing and the on-board charger is 11 kW on every version: 7.4 kW on a UK single-phase supply, 11 kW on three-phase. A Type 2 cable is supplied.
DC peaks at 105 kW (Standard Range), 183 kW (Extended Range RWD) and 185 kW (AWD).
Variants (2026)
| Variant | Battery (usable) | Max AC | Max DC | WLTP range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Range RWD (190 PS, LFP) | 58 kWh | 11 kW | 105 kW | 273–276 miles |
| Extended Range RWD (286 PS) | 79 kWh | 11 kW | 183 kW | 374 miles |
| Extended Range AWD (340 PS) | 77 kWh | 11 kW | 185 kW | 321–329 miles |
Usable capacities. The LFP Standard Range arrived in April 2026 at £33,685 with the grant; the Extended Range RWD is the volume seller. Real-world range is about 205, 275 and 270 miles, and drops sharply below 5 °C. Figures below are for the Extended Range RWD.
How long it takes to charge the Explorer
The figures below are for the Extended Range RWD, the version most people buy, with its 79kWh usable battery.
20% to 80%, the everyday window
| Supply | Charge time (20–80%) | Range added |
|---|---|---|
| 3-pin socket (~2.3 kW) | ~21 hours | ~166 miles |
| 7 kW wallbox | ~6½ hours | ~166 miles |
| 11 kW three-phase | ~4.3 hours | ~166 miles |
Overnight on single-phase, an evening on three-phase. The Standard Range is about three hours quicker on 7 kW.
0% to 100%
| Supply | Charge time (0–100%) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3-pin socket (~2.3 kW) | ~34½ hours | Emergency use only |
| 7 kW wallbox (single-phase) | ~10½ hours | The standard overnight charge |
| 11 kW wallbox (three-phase) | ~7 hours | Only if the house has a three-phase supply |
Costs
The tariff does most of the work. The Explorer returns about 3.5 mi/kWh in real-world UK driving.
Cost per full charge (79kWh)
| Tariff | Rate | 0–100% | 20–80% |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDF GoElectric | 6.66p/kWh | £5.26 | £3.16 |
| Octopus Intelligent Go | 7.6p/kWh | £6.00 | £3.60 |
| Octopus Go | 9.5p/kWh | £7.50 | £4.50 |
| British Gas EV Power | 9.5p/kWh | £7.50 | £4.50 |
| Standard variable (Ofgem cap) | 26.32p/kWh | £20.79 | £12.48 |
| Public rapid charger | 79p/kWh | £62.41 | £37.45 |
Annual charging cost at 10,000 miles
| Tariff | Cost per mile | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Octopus Intelligent Go | 2.2p/mile | £217 |
| Octopus Go | 2.7p/mile | £271 |
| Standard variable | 7.5p/mile | £752 |
| Public rapid only | 22.6p/mile | £2,257 |
| Petrol equivalent | ~19p | ~£1,900 |
Petrol assumes 40 mpg at £1.45 a litre. The electricity figures are charging only: no standing charge, and no allowance for the 5–10% lost between the wall and the battery.
The gap between the standard rate and a good EV tariff is several hundred pounds a year on typical mileage, and it costs nothing to close. The interactive savings calculator runs the numbers for your mileage; the UK EV Charging Cost Index compares every tariff per mile.
Two chemistries: LFP Standard Range, NMC Extended Range
The Standard Range uses an LFP pack: charge it to 100% routinely, and give it a full charge now and then so the range estimate stays calibrated. The Extended Range cars use NMC: an 80% daily limit in FordPass, 100% for trips. FordPass sets departure times and preconditions on wall power.
Efficiency is the Explorer's weak point. Expect around 3.5 miles per kWh in mild weather and under 3 in winter, which is why the annual figures below are higher than for a smaller car on the same tariff.
Smart tariffs and the Explorer
Intelligent Octopus Go can control the car directly through the manufacturer's app, so any charger works: the charger is just a socket, and Octopus tells the car when to draw. Ford is in Octopus's top tier of car integrations, the one Octopus calls "universal" (Octopus multi-car guide), so Intelligent Go schedules the Explorer through FordPass with any charger. The complaint owners raise is a delay between plugging in and FordPass reporting it, occasionally a "could not control vehicle" error after an app update (Mach-E forum thread on UK Intelligent Go); a charger with its own Octopus link covers those nights. OVO Charge Anytime lists Ford too.
Choosing a charger
Every home charger on this site works with the Explorer: Type 2 is universal for UK AC charging. The car can hold the tariff; the charger is for cable, build and backup.
- Tesla Wall Connector at £475: a 7.3 m cable for a long car with a rear-right socket, and a four-year warranty, at the lowest price of any premium-feeling unit.
- Ohme Home Pro at £559: Intelligent Go in the charger for the nights FordPass is slow to notice the plug.
- myenergi zappi at £684: supplier links plus solar diversion; a 79 kWh pack puts a summer surplus to good use.
Full head-to-heads are on the charger comparison page, and the smart-tariff chargers guide covers which units talk to which supplier.
Common questions
Can I charge an Explorer from a 3-pin plug?
Yes, with a portable charger, at about 2.3 kW; a full 79 kWh charge takes well over a day. 3-pin guide.
Does the Explorer work with Intelligent Octopus Go?
Yes, through FordPass, and Ford's integration is among the best. Any charger works.
Should I charge the Explorer to 100%?
Standard Range (LFP): yes, routinely. Extended Range (NMC): 80% daily, 100% for trips.
Does the Explorer have Vehicle-to-Load?
Yes on 2026-on cars, at 2.3 kW. No vehicle-to-grid.
Getting set up
- Switch to an EV tariff before anything else; the saving starts the day it goes live.
- Choose a charger, or compare them all.
- Get installation quotes: up to three local installers, no obligation.
- Read the installation guide so the day itself holds no surprises.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Your next useful step: compare the recommended home chargers.