---
title: "Best EV Tariffs UK – Compare Charging Tariffs | DriveQuery"
description: "Compare UK EV tariffs using your mileage, efficiency, home-charging share and charging flexibility. Estimate EV charging cost for Octopus, E.ON, EDF and OVO."
canonical: "https://drivequery.com/en/ev-tariffs/"
language: "en-GB"
content_type: "calculator"
primary_query: "best ev tariff"
secondary_queries: 
content_signal: "search=yes, ai-input=yes, ai-train=yes, use=full"
last_modified: "2026-08-30"
ai_priority: "tier-1"
primary_intent: "commercial-ev-tariff-comparison"
commercial_stage: "consideration"
query_targets: "best EV tariff; EV tariff comparison; compare EV tariffs; cheapest EV tariff; best EV charging tariff; EV electricity tariff"
image: "https://drivequery.com/assets/charging-history.webp"
publisher: "DriveQuery"
---
# Which EV tariff is cheapest for your driving?

**Short answer:** there is no single cheapest UK EV tariff for every driver. The result depends on annual mileage, vehicle efficiency, how much charging happens at home, how much charging can reach the discounted rate, the supplier's daytime rate, standing charge and eligibility.

DriveQuery's comparison calculator estimates **EV charging cost for your driving pattern**. It does not pretend to replace a postcode-specific household energy quote.

## Current published EV tariff rates checked 28 August 2026

| Tariff | Published discounted rate | Cheap period / model | Important limitation |
| --- | ---: | --- | --- |
| E.ON Next Drive Smart | **6.9p/kWh** | 00:00–07:00 | E.ON publishes 31.727p/kWh peak; eligible EV/charger and smart-meter consent required. |
| EDF GoElectric | **6.99p/kWh** | 23:00–06:00 | Whole-home off-peak; daytime rate depends on the supplier quote. |
| Intelligent Octopus Go | **8p/kWh** | 23:30–05:30 + eligible smart-scheduled charging | Day rate is postcode-specific and compatibility is required. |
| OVO Charge Anytime PAYG | **14p/kWh** | Smart-charging add-on | Underlying household tariff remains separate. |

Official tariff pages:
- E.ON Next Drive Smart: https://www.eonnext.com/tariffs/next-drive/smart
- EDF GoElectric: https://www.edfenergy.com/electric-cars/ev-tariffs/goelectric
- Intelligent Octopus Go: https://octopus.energy/smart/intelligent-octopus-go/
- OVO Charge Anytime: https://www.ovoenergy.com/terms/charge-anytime/add-on-plan-details

## Calculator inputs

Enter:
- annual mileage
- vehicle efficiency in miles/kWh
- charging-loss percentage
- share charged at home
- share of home charging that can be scheduled into cheap or smart-charging periods
- fallback daytime electricity rate

The default daytime benchmark is **26.11p/kWh**, the Ofgem average Direct Debit electricity unit rate under the GB price cap for 1 July–30 September 2026.

**Ofgem freshness:** the 26.11p/kWh benchmark applies to July–September 2026; Ofgem has announced **26.32p/kWh from 1 October 2026**.

## Formula

**Annual home charging energy = (miles ÷ miles/kWh) ÷ (1 − charging loss) × home-charging share**

For each tariff, the calculator applies the published EV rate to the flexible share of home charging. The rest is costed at the supplier peak rate where a current rate is published, otherwise at the user's fallback daytime rate.

## Worked example: 10,000 miles per year

Assumptions: **10,000 miles/year**, 3.5 miles/kWh, 10% charging losses, 80% charged at home and 90% of home charging reaching each tariff's discounted EV rate. That produces about **2,540 kWh/year of home charging**.

| Charging-energy scenario | Modelled annual EV charging cost | Assumption |
| --- | ---: | --- |
| All home energy at 26.11p/kWh | **≈ £663/year** | Ofgem benchmark comparison |
| EDF GoElectric | **≈ £226/year** | 90% at 6.99p; 10% at 26.11p fallback |
| E.ON Next Drive Smart | **≈ £238/year** | 90% at 6.9p; 10% at published 31.727p peak |
| Intelligent Octopus Go | **≈ £249/year** | 90% at 8p; 10% at 26.11p fallback |

This is an **EV charging-energy comparison**, not a complete household quote. Standing charges, household daytime use, postcode-specific rates and eligibility can change the winner.

## Why the lowest EV rate is not automatically the cheapest tariff

A low headline p/kWh rate can be offset by a higher daytime rate, standing charge, eligibility rule or a cheap window that does not fit the driver's charging pattern. That is why DriveQuery compares EV charging first and keeps the complete household quote as a separate check.

## Whole-home cheap periods

Some tariffs apply the cheap overnight rate to the whole home during their off-peak period. E.ON Next Drive Smart, EDF GoElectric and Intelligent Octopus Go currently describe whole-home cheap windows. OVO Charge Anytime is an EV smart-charging add-on, so its discounted rate is not a general overnight household rate.

## Related DriveQuery tools

- [How much does it cost to charge an electric car?](https://drivequery.com/en/tesla-charging-cost-calculator-uk/)
- [EV charging near me](https://drivequery.com/en/ev-charging-near-me/)
- [Tesla Supercharger map UK](https://drivequery.com/en/tesla-supercharger-map/)
- [Smart charging for Tesla](https://drivequery.com/en/smart-charging/)

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the cheapest EV tariff in the UK?

There is no universal winner. Use your mileage, efficiency, home-charging share and charging flexibility to estimate EV cost, then check the supplier's postcode-specific day rate, standing charge, tariff term, exit fees and eligibility.

### Does the lowest p/kWh EV rate always mean the cheapest tariff?

No. The cheap rate is only one part of the bill, and it may apply only during specific hours or to eligible smart charging.

### Why does the calculator use a fallback daytime rate?

Some suppliers publish their discounted EV rate nationally but provide the daytime rate only after a postcode quote. The fallback rate lets the comparison stay useful without inventing a supplier-specific day rate.

### Is the calculator a full household energy comparison?

No. It estimates EV charging cost. A complete tariff comparison must also include all household electricity consumption, supplier-specific peak rates, standing charges, region and contract terms.