RELATED: Which EV chargers work with Intelligent Octopus Go?
The Numbers, Side by Side
Figures for a typical 60kWh EV at 3.5 to 4 miles per kWh, checked against the Ofgem price cap for July to September 2026.
| Where you charge | Rate per kWh | Full charge (60kWh) | Cost per mile | 10,000 miles a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home, EV tariff (EDF GoElectric) | 6.99p | £4.19 | ~1.9p | ~£210 |
| Home, EV tariff (Intelligent Octopus Go) | ~8p | £4.80 | ~2.1p | ~£240 |
| Home, standard variable rate | 26.11p | £15.67 | ~7p | ~£780 |
| Public rapid charger | 70p to 85p | £42 to £51 | ~19p to 23p | £5,700+ |
The gap between the two home rows is the whole argument for a smart charger. Same car, same electricity, £540 a year apart on a 10,000 mile year.
How the Cheap Rates Work
EV tariffs give you a low rate overnight, typically six hours, in exchange for letting the supplier schedule your charging into that window. Your smart charger handles it automatically. Plug in when you get home, set the time you need the car ready, and the charging lands in the cheap hours without you thinking about it.
The standard rate row is what you pay with no EV tariff, charging whenever you plug in. It still beats petrol comfortably, a comparable petrol car costs 12p to 16p per mile in fuel, but it leaves serious money on the table.
RELATED: Do you need a smart meter for an EV tariff?
What About Public Charging
Public rapid chargers are brilliant for motorway trips and terrible economics for daily use, at nine to twelve times the cost per kWh of a home EV tariff. A driver doing all their charging on rapids pays more per mile than most petrol drivers. If you have off street parking, a home charger pays for itself in the first year or two of that difference.
Add solar and the sums improve again. Surplus generation charges the car for nothing on sunny days, and we install both.
