What does it actually cost to charge an EV at home?

At the representative standard-variable rate of 26.32p/kWh, the default 3.5mi/kWh vehicle costs about 7.5p per mile for EV electricity. An off-peak tariff can reduce the EV portion, but the whole-house peak rate and postcode-dependent standing charge also belong in the comparison. That rate is the Ofgem cap for October to December 2026, quoted at the temporary 0% VAT rate that applies to domestic electricity in Great Britain until 31 March 2027.

There is no universal cheapest tariff. Dynamic plans may show a low representative overnight rate, while fixed-window tariffs provide more certainty; household peak use, standing charge, compatibility and the share of EV charging shifted off-peak can change the ranking. Use the whole-bill tariff finder with your own inputs.

There is no reliable universal payback period. It depends on the installed quote, mileage and the charging alternative you would otherwise use. The payback table is an illustrative scenario against the current 79p/kWh representative PAYG rapid assumption, not a guarantee.

For the page defaults, Intelligent Go models £217 of EV electricity and £286 annual whole-bill saving against the representative standard-variable baseline. The same EV electricity would be £752 at that baseline or £2,257 at the representative PAYG rapid assumption. Change the mileage, efficiency and off-peak share for your own case.

The page uses the current HMRC advisory inputs shown in its methodology section. Employer reimbursement and tax treatment depend on the journey and evidence, so check the current HMRC guidance rather than treating the comparison as personal tax advice.

Using the page defaults of 10,000 miles and 3.5mi/kWh, the EV uses 2,857.14kWh a year. Intelligent Go's current 7.6p/kWh off-peak rate models £217 for that EV electricity when all EV charging lands off-peak.

The representative PAYG rapid assumption is 79p/kWh, compared with 26.32p/kWh for the standard home baseline and 7.6p/kWh in Intelligent Go's off-peak window. Actual public prices vary by network, speed, membership and roaming method.

Many fixed-window EV tariffs are cheapest overnight. Intelligent Go currently publishes 11:30pm–5:30am; Octopus Go publishes 12:30am–5:30am. Dynamic and managed tariffs behave differently, so use the window shown for the plan rather than assuming every tariff follows the same schedule.

It depends on the tariff. Octopus Intelligent Go requires a compatible smart charger (like the Ohme Home Pro) or a Tesla with API access. Other tariffs like Octopus Go, EDF GoElectric, and E.ON Next Drive simply offer a cheap time window — any charger with a timer or scheduling feature works.

At the default 10,000-mile input and 3.5mi/kWh efficiency, the EV uses 2,857.14kWh. That models £752 at the standard-variable energy rate or £217 on Intelligent Go with 100% of EV charging off-peak, before comparing the household and standing-charge components.

A wallbox can be worthwhile for convenience, scheduled charging and avoiding regular reliance on public rapid sites, but the financial case depends on the installed quote and your actual alternative. Compare charger-plus-EV-electricity cost over five years rather than relying on a generic monthly saving or payback promise.

Available surplus solar can have the lowest marginal energy cost, followed by shifting EV use into a suitable off-peak or managed tariff. Neither is automatically cheapest for the whole household: compare compatibility, peak rate, standing charge, export trade-offs and how often the car is home when solar is available.