Calculate your EV charging costs for 2026. Compare home charging tariffs, public chargers, and see how much you'll save vs petrol.
Charging at home with an EV tariff costs just 1.5p per mile - 90% cheaper than petrol (19p/mile). With Intelligent Octopus Go at 7.5p/kWh overnight, the average EV driver saves £400-600 annually compared to standard electricity tariffs, and £1,500+ vs petrol.
Calculate your electric vehicle charging costs and savings:
Compare costs across different charging options:
| Charging Method | Cost per kWh | Cost per Mile | Annual Cost (7,000 miles) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home - EV Tariff (Octopus Intelligent Go) | 7.5p | 1.5p | £234 |
| Home - Economy 7 Off-Peak | 10-15p | 2-3p | £312-£468 |
| Home - Standard Tariff | 27.69p | 7.9p | £865 |
| Public Slow (Supermarket/Gym) | Free-25p | 0-7.1p | £0-£780 |
| Public Fast (50kW) | 45-55p | 12.9-15.7p | £1,419-£1,729 |
| Public Rapid (150kW+) | 70-85p | 20-24.3p | £2,197-£2,672 |
| Petrol Car (35 MPG) | - | 19p | £1,855 |
| Diesel Car (45 MPG) | - | 17p | £1,651 |
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Key Findings:
| Charger Type | Equipment Cost | Installation Cost | Total Cost | With Grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3kW Basic Charger | £250-£500 | £450-£400 | £700-£900 | £350-£550 |
| 7kW Standard Charger | £450-£800 | £350-£400 | £800-£1,200 | £450-£850 |
| 7kW Smart Charger | £550-£900 | £350-£400 | £900-£1,300 | £550-£950 |
| 22kW Three-Phase | £800-£1,200 | £500-£800 | £1,300-£2,000 | £950-£1,650 |
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Example: £1,000 smart charger installation
Even without grants, home charger pays for itself in under 2 years through fuel savings alone.
| Network | Slow/Fast (7-50kW) | Rapid (50-150kW) | Ultra-Rapid (150kW+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BP Pulse | 44p/kWh | 69p/kWh | 85p/kWh |
| Ionity | - | - | 74p/kWh |
| Shell Recharge | 49p/kWh | 65p/kWh | 79p/kWh |
| Pod Point | 40p/kWh | 63p/kWh | 70p/kWh |
| Tesla Supercharger (Tesla) | - | 50p/kWh | 60p/kWh |
| Tesla Supercharger (Non-Tesla) | - | 65p/kWh | 75p/kWh |
| Tesco/Sainsbury's | Free-28p/kWh | - | - |
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Many locations offer free EV charging (usually 7kW slow chargers):
Typical Medium EV (60kWh battery, 3.5 miles/kWh efficiency):
Winner: Home EV tariff charging saves £1,225/year vs petrol and £945/year vs diesel.
Switching to Octopus Intelligent Go or similar saves £400-600/year compared to standard rates. Essential for maximizing home charging savings.
Use off-peak hours (11:30pm-5:30am) for lowest rates. Schedule charging through your car or smart charger app to automate this.
Supermarkets, gyms, and workplaces often offer free 7kW charging. Plan shopping trips around charging sessions to save £10-20/week.
Only use rapid chargers (70-85p/kWh) for long journeys. They can cost more than petrol - reserve for emergencies and road trips.
BP Pulse, Shell Recharge, and others offer subscriptions with reduced rates. If using public chargers regularly, can save 10-20%.
Charging 80-100% is slowest and most expensive on rapid chargers. Stop at 80% to save time and money on public charging.
Use scheduled climate control to warm/cool car while plugged in at home. Saves battery range and charging costs during journeys.
Smooth driving, maintaining tire pressure, and avoiding heavy loads improve miles/kWh. Better efficiency = lower charging costs.
Depends on battery size and charging method:
Most people charge from 20-80% (not full), so actual costs are lower.
Yes, dramatically cheaper if charging at home:
Even on standard home tariff (£865/year), EVs save £990/year vs petrol.
However, exclusive use of public rapid chargers can be more expensive than petrol.
The cheapest methods in order:
Best strategy: 90% home EV tariff, 10% free public when available.
You can charge from a standard 3-pin plug, but it's slow and not ideal long-term:
3-Pin Plug (2.3kW):
Home Charger (7kW):
Recommendation: Get a 7kW smart charger (£800-1,200) to access EV tariffs and save £400-600/year.
Depends on mileage and tariff:
On EV Tariff (7.5p/kWh overnight):
On Standard Tariff (27.69p/kWh):
EV tariffs save £50+/month compared to standard rates.
Yes, many locations offer free charging:
Common free charging locations:
Free chargers are usually slow (7kW) and limited to 1-2 hours, but can add 20-50 miles free range.
Charging speeds and typical use cases:
Faster charging is more expensive - use slowest charger that meets your needs.
Current outlook for EV charging costs:
Likely to decrease:
Potential increases:
Overall: Home charging likely to remain significantly cheaper than petrol for foreseeable future.
Home charging with EV tariff is by far the cheapest: 1.5p/mile (£234/year for 7,000 miles) vs petrol 19p/mile (£1,855/year). Annual saving: £1,621.
Get an EV tariff: Octopus Intelligent Go (7.5p/kWh) or similar saves £400-600/year compared to standard electricity rates.
Install a smart charger: £800-1,200 cost pays back in 1-2 years through tariff savings and convenience. Grants up to £350 available.
Use public rapid chargers sparingly: At 70-85p/kWh, they can cost more than petrol. Reserve for long journeys only.
Take advantage of free charging: Supermarkets, gyms, workplaces - every free kWh saves money.
Total cost of ownership: Even with charger installation, EVs save £1,000-1,500/year in fuel costs compared to petrol/diesel.