"How much does it cost to charge?" is the first question almost every new EV driver asks — and the honest answer is that it depends almost entirely on where and when you plug in. The car barely matters. The tariff matters enormously.
This guide uses the electricity price cap that took effect on 1 October 2026, current smart EV tariff rates and the latest public charging prices to show what charging really costs per mile, per full charge and per year — and how quickly a home charger pays for itself. If you are still choosing a charger, our beginner's guide to buying a home EV charger is the place to start.
The simple formula
Every EV charging cost calculation comes down to one line:
Cost per mile = price per kWh ÷ miles per kWh
Most EVs manage between 3 and 4 miles per kWh in mixed driving. We use 3.5 miles per kWh throughout this guide, which is a fair average for a family car across a UK year (it drops in winter and on the motorway, and rises in summer around town).
One practical adjustment: some energy is lost as heat during AC charging, so the meter typically records a little more than ends up in the battery. If you want a conservative figure, add around 10% to the home-charging numbers below.
What electricity costs in October 2026
Ofgem's price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026 sets the average electricity unit rate at 26.32p per kWh, with a daily standing charge of 54.83p, for direct debit customers. That figure already reflects the government's temporary removal of VAT from domestic electricity, which runs from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.
| Where you charge | Typical price per kWh | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Home, smart EV tariff (off-peak) | ~8p | Intelligent Octopus Go |
| Home, standard variable tariff | 26.32p | Ofgem price cap, Oct–Dec 2026 |
| Public slow/fast (3–49kW) | ~54p | Zapmap Price Index, July 2026 |
| Public rapid/ultra-rapid (50kW+) | ~80p | Zapmap Price Index, July 2026 |
Smart EV tariffs from other suppliers sit in a similar band. Rates vary by region and change regularly, so always check the live rate for your postcode. Our guide to smart EV tariffs explains how they work.
Cost per mile: home vs public vs petrol
| How you charge | Cost per mile | vs off-peak home |
|---|---|---|
| Home, off-peak EV tariff (8p) | ~2.3p | — |
| Home, standard rate (26.32p) | ~7.5p | 3.3× more |
| Public slow/fast (54p) | ~15.4p | 6.8× more |
| Public rapid (80p) | ~22.9p | 10× more |
| Petrol car, 45mpg at ~168p/litre | ~17p | 7.4× more |
The uncomfortable truth: an EV that relies on public rapid chargers can cost more per mile than a reasonably economical petrol car. EVs are cheap to run because of home charging, not in spite of it.
What a full charge costs
Most drivers charge from around 10% to 80% rather than empty to full, so these figures show the cost of adding 70% of the battery.
| Battery (usable) | kWh added (10→80%) | Home off-peak | Home standard | Public rapid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40kWh (e.g. Nissan Leaf) | 28kWh | £2.24 | £7.37 | £22.40 |
| 60kWh (typical family EV) | 42kWh | £3.36 | £11.05 | £33.60 |
| 77kWh (e.g. VW ID.4 Pro) | 53.9kWh | £4.31 | £14.19 | £43.12 |
Looking at a specific car? We have dedicated guides for the Tesla range, the VW ID.3, ID.4 and ID.5 and the Nissan Leaf.
What it costs over a year
The average UK driver covers around 7,500 miles a year. At 3.5 miles per kWh, that is roughly 2,143kWh of charging.
| Charging pattern | Annual cost (7,500 miles) |
|---|---|
| 100% home, off-peak EV tariff | ~£171 |
| 80% home off-peak, 20% public rapid | ~£480 |
| 100% home, standard rate | ~£564 |
| 100% public slow/fast (e.g. lamppost chargers) | ~£1,157 |
| 100% public rapid | ~£1,714 |
| Petrol car for comparison (45mpg, ~168p/litre) | ~£1,273 |
Double the mileage and every figure doubles. For a 15,000-mile driver, the gap between home off-peak and public rapid is over £3,000 a year.
How quickly a home charger pays for itself
Most smart tariffs need a compatible smart charger (or, in some cases, a compatible car) to unlock the cheap rate. So the real question is: how fast does the charger earn its money back?
| You are switching from… | Annual saving (7,500 miles) | Payback on ~£1,000–£1,500 installed |
|---|---|---|
| Home charging at the standard rate | ~£393 | 2.5–4 years |
| Mostly public slow/fast charging | ~£986 | 1–1.5 years |
| Mostly public rapid charging | ~£1,543 | Under a year |
The installed figure assumes hardware between roughly £380 and £700 plus a standard installation. Installation costs depend heavily on cable run length and your consumer unit — our EV charger installation guide breaks this down. Renters and flat owners with off-street parking may also qualify for the government chargepoint grant; see our guide to UK EV charger grants.
Five ways to cut your charging costs
1. Get on a smart EV tariff
This is the big one — the difference between 26.32p and around 8p per kWh. A smart charger that integrates directly with your supplier will schedule charging into the cheapest slots automatically. See the chargers compatible with Intelligent Octopus Go and compatible with OVO Charge Anytime.
2. Use a dedicated charger, not a 3-pin plug
A portable 3-pin charger is fine as a backup, but at 2.3kW it adds only around 8 miles an hour — so a six-hour off-peak window gives you roughly 48 miles. A 7.4kW wallbox adds around 25 miles an hour and fills most batteries well inside the cheap window.
3. Charge to 80% day to day
Most manufacturers recommend it for battery health, and it means you rarely need to top up at a public rapid charger on the way somewhere.
4. Use solar if you have it
Solar-compatible chargers can divert surplus generation into the car. Whether that beats exporting depends on your export rate and EV tariff — it is not always the obvious win it sounds like. Our guide to charging an EV with solar panels runs the numbers.
5. Watch the January price cap
Price cap rates change every three months. If you are on a standard variable tariff, moving to a smart EV tariff now also protects your car charging from future day-rate rises, because the off-peak rate is set separately.
Best chargers for cheap home charging
Every charger below is a 7.4kW single-phase unit suitable for most UK homes, and each lists compatibility with major smart tariffs.
| Charger | Why it suits low-cost charging | Price |
|---|---|---|
| VCHRGD Seven Pro (untethered) | Intelligent Octopus Go compatible, CT clamp included, PEN fault protection | £380 |
| Indra Smart PRO (untethered) | Works with Intelligent Octopus Go and OVO Charge Anytime | £435 |
| Ohme Home Pro (tethered, 5m or 8m) | Intelligent Octopus Go integration, LCD screen, built-in 4G | From £526 |
| Andersen Quartz (untethered) | Works with OVO Charge Anytime and Intelligent Octopus Go | £665 |
| myenergi Zappi 2.1 (untethered) | Smart tariff ready plus Eco and Eco+ solar modes | £685 |
Want a head-to-head? Read Zappi vs Ohme, browse our Octopus-compatible chargers guide, or see the cheapest EV chargers in the UK.
Common questions
How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home per month?
For an average 7,500-mile year, around £14 a month on an off-peak EV tariff, or about £47 a month at the standard price-cap rate.
Is it cheaper to charge an EV at night?
Only if you are on a time-of-use or smart EV tariff. On a standard variable tariff the unit rate is the same at 2am as at 2pm. Switching tariff is what makes night charging cheap.
Does the standing charge affect EV charging costs?
Not really. You pay the standing charge whether or not you own an EV, so it does not change the cost of adding miles. Some EV tariffs do have a different standing charge, so compare the whole tariff before switching.
How many kWh does it take to charge an electric car?
It depends on battery size and how far you are charging. Going from 10% to 80% on a 60kWh battery needs around 42kWh, plus a little extra for charging losses.
Is charging at work or the supermarket free?
Some workplaces and retailers still offer free charging, but it is increasingly rare. Where it exists, it is usually a slow AC charger — handy for a top-up, but not a replacement for home charging.
Will the cost of charging go up in January 2027?
Price cap rates are reviewed every quarter, and the next change is due on 1 January 2027. Off-peak EV rates are set separately by each supplier, so a smart tariff partly shields your car charging from day-rate rises.
Sources and further reading
The figures in this guide are drawn from the following sources, checked on 2 October 2026:
| Claim | Source |
|---|---|
| 26.32p/kWh unit rate and 54.83p/day standing charge, 1 Oct–31 Dec 2026 | October 2026 price cap rates, Uswitch (from Ofgem data) |
| VAT removed from domestic electricity, 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027 | Energy price cap will rise by 4% from October 2026, Ofgem |
| 8p/kWh smart charging rate | Intelligent Octopus Go, Octopus Energy |
| 54p/kWh (3–49kW) and 80p/kWh (50kW+) public charging averages | Zapmap Price Index, July 2026 |
| ~168p/litre petrol price | Cost to charge an electric car in 2026, Carsa (September 2026 averages) |
| All charger prices and specifications | eChargers UK live product catalogue, 2 October 2026 |