OVO Charge Anytime takes a different approach to EV charging. Instead of giving you a fixed off-peak window, it uses your smart charger to separately meter your EV usage and charges a flat 14p/kWh for all EV charging — regardless of when you plug in. This means you can charge at 2pm on a Sunday or 3am on a Wednesday and pay the same rate. No scheduling, no off-peak windows, no planning required.
Best for: EV owners who charge at irregular times and don't want to think about off-peak schedules. Particularly good for shift workers, part-time workers, or anyone with an unpredictable routine.
How It Works
Charge Anytime requires a compatible smart charger (Indra, Zappi, Andersen, or Hypervolt) or a compatible EV that can communicate with OVO. The charger or vehicle acts as a separate sub-meter for your EV, measuring exactly how much electricity goes into your car. OVO bills your EV consumption at 14p/kWh and the rest of your household usage at the standard rate of around 28p/kWh. There's no scheduling involved — just plug in whenever you want.
Who It Suits
This tariff is perfect if your schedule doesn't align with traditional off-peak hours. Shift workers who arrive home at odd hours, families who need to do a mid-day top-up before the school run, or anyone who just doesn't want to think about when to charge. The 14p/kWh rate isn't as cheap as Octopus Intelligent Go's 8p, but the flexibility of charging at any time more than compensates for many drivers.
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) |
|---|
| OVO Charge Anytime (14p/kWh) | ~£8.40 | ~£400 |
| Octopus Intelligent Go (8p/kWh) | ~£4.80 | ~£229 |
| Standard variable (~26.11p/kWh) | ~£15.67 | ~£746 |
OVO Charge Anytime costs close to twice what Intelligent Go does, but still saves around £350 a year over a standard tariff at typical mileage. The real value is the convenience of charging whenever it suits you.
Compatible Chargers
Charge Anytime requires either a compatible smart charger (Indra, Zappi, Andersen, or Hypervolt) or a compatible EV with vehicle API integration (Tesla, BMW, VW Group, and others). OVO dropped Ohme charger support in mid-2025, so if you have an Ohme, consider Octopus Intelligent Go instead. The charger or vehicle must be able to communicate with OVO to separately meter your EV usage.
For chargers with direct OVO integration, see our best smart EV charger guide. Compare OVO's rate against every UK tariff in the UK EV Charging Cost Index.
