Just Got a Tesla? Here’s Your Home Charging Action Plan

Congratulations — Now Let’s Make Sure You’re Not Overpaying

You’ve just taken delivery of your Tesla. The acceleration is addictive. The tech is incredible. The running costs are... well, they depend entirely on what you do in the next few weeks.

Right now, you’re probably charging at Superchargers, borrowing a friend’s charger, or trickling power through a 3-pin plug at home. All of those work. None of them are optimal.

Here’s your week-by-week plan to get set up properly. Follow it and you’ll be charging at home for £4–5 per full charge within a month.

Week 1: Switch to an EV Tariff

This is the single highest-impact thing you can do — and it costs nothing.

Most UK electricity tariffs charge around 24.5p/kWh (the Ofgem price cap). But EV-specific tariffs offer overnight rates of 7–9p/kWh. That’s a 70% discount on every kWh you use to charge your car.

Your best options:

• Octopus Intelligent Go — 7p/kWh overnight, works directly with your Tesla’s API to schedule charging automatically
• Octopus Go — 8.5p/kWh overnight, works with any charger or the car’s built-in timer
• British Gas Electric Drivers — 8p/kWh overnight, competitive if you’re already with BG

Switching takes 5 minutes and usually completes within 2–5 working days. There’s no installation, no engineer visit, and most have no exit fees.

Action: Compare all EV tariffs → or take our tariff quiz for a personalised recommendation.

What this saves you: Switching from 24.5p to 7p/kWh saves roughly £500/year on a Model 3 doing 10,000 miles. That’s £42/month back in your pocket, starting immediately.

Week 1–2: Choose Your Charger

While your tariff switch processes, it’s time to pick a charger. Don’t overthink this — every charger on our site works with every Tesla.

If you want it simple: The Tesla Wall Connector is the obvious choice. £425, seamless app integration, and the longest cable (7.3m).

If you want to save the most: The Ohme Home Pro works directly with smart tariffs to find the cheapest 30-minute slots every night. Pair it with Octopus Intelligent Go and it’s the cheapest possible way to charge.

If you have solar panels: The myenergi Zappi GLO diverts surplus solar energy to your car. Charging for free.

Not sure? Take our 30-second charger quiz — it’ll recommend the best one for your situation.

Action: Pick a charger and either buy the unit yourself or let your installer supply it (some prefer to source it for warranty reasons).

Week 2–3: Get Installation Quotes and Book

This is where most people stall. Don’t.

Getting quotes is free and takes about 2 minutes. We’ll match you with up to 3 OZEV-certified installers in your area. They’ll do a site survey (usually free), give you a fixed quote, and handle everything including the £500 OZEV grant paperwork if you’re eligible.

What to expect:

• Typical installation cost: £400–600 for labour (on top of the charger unit)
• OZEV grant: £500 off if you’re a renter or flat owner
• Installation time: 2–4 hours for a standard installation
• Timeline: Most installers can book you in within 1–2 weeks

Action: Get your free installation quotes →

What’s it costing you to wait? If you’re currently Supercharging, every week without a home charger costs you roughly £18 more than it needs to. That’s £72 over the month it takes to get installed.

Week 3–4: Get Installed and Start Saving

Installation day is straightforward:

1. Your installer arrives, does any final checks
2. They run a dedicated cable from your consumer unit to the charger location
3. They mount and wire the charger (usually 2–4 hours)
4. They test everything and hand you the certification paperwork
5. You plug in your Tesla and set up the app

From this point on, you’re charging at home for £4–5 per full charge (on a 7p/kWh tariff). Your car charges overnight while you sleep. You wake up every morning to a full battery. And you never have to plan a Supercharger stop again.

The Cost of Doing Nothing

Let’s be direct: every week you don’t have a home charger, you’re overpaying.

A home charger costs £800–1,200 fully installed. At the rate you’re overpaying, it’s essentially paying for itself in real-time. The sooner you do it, the sooner the savings start.

Your Checklist

• ] Switch to an EV tariff ([compare tariffs →)
• ] Pick a charger ([take the quiz → or compare all chargers →)
• ] Get installation quotes ([free quotes →)
• [ ] Book your installation
• [ ] Start saving £900+/year

Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Any home charger on an off-peak tariff will save you serious money compared to what you’re doing now. The best time to start was when you ordered your Tesla. The second best time is today.

Get your free installation quotes →