Charging an electric vehicle (EV) in Britain can be remarkably cheap—or surprisingly costly—depending on where, when, and how you top-up.
This breakdown covers every major cost component: domestic tariffs under the July-September 2025 price cap, specialist EV tariffs, public charging network prices, VAT quirks, and a comparison with petrol.
Whether you already have a driveway charger or rely on on-street rapids, here’s what you really pay per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and per mile.
UK Electricity Pricing Framework
- The Price Cap (July–September 2025):
- Sets maximum unit rates for households on variable tariffs.
- Direct-debit customers pay 25.73p/kWh for electricity and face a 51.37p daily standing charge.
- Region-specific rates vary: 24.53p/kWh in Southern Scotland to 27.20p/kWh in North Wales & Mersey.
- Time-of-Use & EV-Specific Tariffs:
- Intelligent Octopus Go: Off-peak window 23:30–05:30, 7p/kWh, Day rate 31–32p/kWh.
- Octopus Go: Off-peak window 00:30–05:30, 9p/kWh typical, Day rate ~31p/kWh.
- Economy 7 (typical): Off-peak window 00:00–07:00 winter, 15p/kWh avg, Day rate 31–37p/kWh.
- Domestic energy is charged 5% VAT.
Home-Charging Costs
| Scenario | kWh Price | 60 kWh Battery: Full Charge (£) | Cost per Mile (3.5 mi/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Octopus off-peak | £0.07 | £4.20 | £0.02 |
| Ofgem standard rate | £0.2573 | £15.44 | £0.07 |
| Economy 7 off-peak | £0.15 | £9.00 | £0.04 |
Even at the capped standard rate, fuelling an average 60 kWh EV costs less than half the price of filling a 45 mpg petrol car.
Public Charging Network Prices (July 2025)
| Network / Speed | PAYG p/kWh | Subscription p/kWh | Standing / Idle Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| BP Pulse rapid 150 kW | 85p contactless, 83p app | 69p with £7.85/mo membership | £10 overstay >90 min |
| IONITY ultra-rapid 350 kW | 74p ad-hoc, 71p “Go”, 53p “Motion” | 43p with £10.50/mo “Power” | None |
| GRIDSERVE high-power | 79–85p contactless, fixed 79p via app | — | Dynamic site pricing |
| Osprey rapid | 79p flat | 66p pending rise 25 July | No connection fee |
| Tesco/Lidl 7 kW AC | 40–45p if parking free | 35–40p with loyalty app | Idle parking T&Cs apply |
Public charging carries 20% VAT—quadruple the domestic rate—which widens the gap between on-street and home charging costs.
Typical Public-Charging Session
- 25–40 kWh motorway top-up @ 80p/kWh → £20–£32 per stop.
- Effective cost ≈ 23p per mile (compared to 14p for petrol at current prices).
Petrol vs. Electric: Per-Mile Economics
- Off-peak home charging (2 p/mi) vastly undercuts petrol (14 p/mi) and public rapid electricity (23 p/mi).
- Even at the capped domestic day rate, driving electric (7 p/mi) is roughly half the cost of unleaded.
Standing Charges, VAT & Hidden Extras
- Standing Charges: Every domestic meter incurs ~£187/year in electricity standing charges (51.37p × 365).
- VAT Disparity: 5% VAT on household electricity vs. 20% on public chargers means drivers without driveways pay up to £211 extra per year.
- Overstay & Connection Fees: BP Pulse and some motorway sites levy £10-£30 “idle” penalties to maximise charger turnover.
Installation Costs for Home Wallboxes
| Charger Type | Hardware (£) | Typical Installation (£) | Total (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 kW smart charger | 600–900 | 500–1,000 | 1,100–1,900 |
| 22 kW (requires 3-phase) | 900–1,500 | 3,000–15,000 grid upgrade | 3,900–16,500 |
Smart chargers let you schedule cheap-rate overnight sessions and integrate with solar PV or vehicle-to-grid.
Savings Over One Year
Assumptions: 8,000 miles/year, 3.5 mi/kWh, 45 mpg petrol.
| Fuel / Tariff | Annual “Fuel” Cost (£) |
|---|---|
| Off-peak EV (7p/kWh) | 160 |
| Standard-rate EV (25.73p/kWh) | 587 |
| Petrol (134.9p/l) | 1,090 |
| Public rapid EV only (80p/kWh) | 1,828 |
Owning a driveway charger with an EV tariff can save around £930/year versus petrol. Relying exclusively on public rapids may cost £738/year more than driving a comparable petrol car.
Practical Tips to Slash Charging Costs
- Optimise Home Tariffs: Switch to Intelligent Octopus Go or similar smart EV plan; savings beat the price cap by 70% during off-peak windows. Automate charging via your wallbox app or the car’s timer.
- Mix Public Networks Strategically: Use IONITY, Tesla Supercharger (if compatible), or GRIDSERVE app pricing with memberships for long trips; rates drop to 43–53p/kWh. Exploit supermarket AC chargers while shopping (40-50p/kWh) to avoid rapids for routine top-ups.
- Avoid Idle Fees: Move your car promptly once charging finishes; many networks start penalties after 30–90 minutes.
- Lobby for Fair VAT: Pressure MPs to cut public-charging VAT to 5%; nearly half of non-EV drivers say they’d switch sooner if the tax were equalised.
- Future-Proof with Smart Hardware: Install a 7 kW Wi-Fi charger ready for vehicle-to-grid standards; potential grid-balancing pay-outs can offset energy bills.
Conclusion
For most UK drivers with off-street parking, charging at home—especially on an EV-specific tariff—costs pennies per mile and undercuts petrol by up to 85%. Even on a standard tariff, electricity still wins. The picture flips for motorists who rely solely on public rapid networks: their per-mile costs can exceed petrol unless they exploit subscription discounts.
The key takeaways:
- Know your tariff: switching from 25.73p/kWh to 7p/kWh can save £427 per year on 8,000 miles.
- Plan charging stops: high-power networks vary 71–85p/kWh; pick the cheapest along your route.
- Watch VAT and idle fees: they can erode EV savings for apartment dwellers.
- Home charger ROI: an £1,200 wallbox pays back in ~18 months versus public charging.
- Policy shift needed: equalising VAT would level the playing field and speed EV adoption.
With the right tariff and a smart charging strategy, driving electric in the UK remains one of the cheapest—and cleanest—ways to travel.
