A guaranteed six-hour window, 11:30pm–5:30am, at 8p/kWh — under a third of the standard variable rate. It is no longer the cheapest fixed rate on the market: EDF GoElectric now runs 6.99p across seven hours. What Intelligent Go still has is the scheduling. Pair it with a compatible smart charger like the Ohme Home Pro and Octopus grants extra off-peak slots during the day when wholesale prices fall.
Since 7 May 2026 there is a ceiling on that. Smart-scheduled EV charging is capped at six hours in any 24-hour period, measured midday to midday; anything beyond it bills at the peak rate.
Best for: Tesla owners who want scheduling handled for them and are happy to charge during 11:30pm–5:30am.
How It Works
When you sign up, Octopus connects to your EV via its vehicle API (Tesla, BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen, and others are supported) or through a compatible smart charger. You set your departure time and desired charge level in the Octopus app, and the system automatically schedules charging during the cheapest periods. With a compatible charger like the Ohme Home Pro, the charger communicates directly with Octopus to request additional off-peak slots beyond the standard 6-hour window. Those slots now sit under the six-hour daily cap: the cheap half-hours can land anywhere in the day, but there are only twelve of them.
For Tesla owners specifically, the vehicle API integration means your Tesla communicates directly with Octopus — no special charger required. However, pairing with an Ohme charger enables the most aggressive off-peak scheduling.
Who It Suits
Intelligent Go is ideal for anyone who charges overnight at home. If you can plug in for 11:30pm–5:30am and don't need your car until morning, eligible charging is billed at 8p/kWh. For the site's default mileage and efficiency assumptions, the EV-electricity estimate is £229 a year; household use and postcode-dependent standing charges are calculated separately on the page.
Cost Breakdown
These figures isolate EV charging electricity. They do not include household use or postcode-dependent standing charges.
| Scenario | Cost per full charge | EV electricity only (10k miles) |
|---|
| Intelligent Go off-peak (8p/kWh) | ~£4.80 | £229 |
| Standard variable (~26.11p/kWh) | ~£15.67 | ~£746 |
| Public rapid charger (~50p/kWh) | ~£30.00 | ~£1,430 |
Switching from a standard tariff to Intelligent Go saves roughly £520 a year on EV charging alone. Against public rapid charging the gap is about £1,200.
Compatible Chargers
Intelligent Go works with any charger — you can use the standard 6-hour off-peak window with any home charger by scheduling via your car's app. However, to access the extended off-peak slots (where Octopus pushes extra cheap periods throughout the day), you need either vehicle API integration or an Ohme charger. The Ohme Home Pro is the officially recommended charger and gets the most aggressive off-peak allocation. The Tesla Wall Connector works well too — just schedule charging to begin when the 11:30pm–5:30am period opens via the Tesla app.
For our ranked list of chargers that integrate with Intelligent Go, see the best smart EV charger guide. To see exactly how this tariff compares on cost per mile, explore the UK EV Charging Cost Index.
