Free EV charging calculator
Calculate your annual home charging cost based on your specific vehicle, annual mileage, and current electricity rate. Compare the saving from switching to an EV overnight tariff.
ABOUT THIS SITE
About evchargingcosts.co.uk
This microsite helps UK drivers understand EV charging costs with transparent assumptions and practical tools.
WHAT WE DO
A practical EV charging cost resource
evchargingcosts.co.uk exists because home charging costs vary enormously depending on your electricity tariff, and most EV owners are not on the best available rate. On a standard variable tariff, a typical EV driver pays approximately £496 per year to cover 8,000 miles. On a dedicated EV overnight tariff, the same driver pays approximately £152. That is a difference of £344 every year, every year they own the car.
This site provides a free calculator to work out your personal charging cost based on your vehicle and mileage, guides to the EV overnight tariffs currently available in the UK, comparisons between home and public charging, and educational content explaining how EV charging works.
We do not supply energy or facilitate switching directly. For live tariff comparison and switching, we refer users to Utility Matchmaker, which uses an Ofgem Confidence Code accredited comparison platform.
Compare live EV tariffs at Utility Matchmaker →EV tariff comparison
A guide to every dedicated EV overnight tariff currently available in the UK, with rates, off-peak windows, and smart charging requirements explained clearly.
Home vs public charging
A full cost comparison of home charging versus public rapid and slow charging, with per-kWh, per-mile, and annual cost figures for typical usage.
Plain English guides
Guides covering how EV charging works, what a smart meter does for EV tariff access, and how to calculate the cost per mile for your specific vehicle.
OUR APPROACH
Why we built this resource
The UK passed 2 million electric vehicle registrations in April 2026. EV ownership is growing rapidly but the financial case for home charging depends heavily on your electricity tariff, a detail many new EV owners are not aware of when they buy the car.
The gap between a standard variable tariff and a dedicated EV overnight tariff is significant. At approximately 8p per kWh overnight versus 26p per kWh on the standard rate, the saving is roughly £344 per year for a typical driver. Over the lifetime of a car, that compounds into a meaningful amount.
We built this site to make those numbers clear, accessible, and easy to act on. The calculator takes two minutes to use. The guides are written in plain English. The comparison tables use real, current data from Ofgem and published supplier rates.
£344
Average annual saving on EV tariff
vs standard variable rate, 8,000 miles/year
2 minutes
Time to use the EV cost calculator
Select your car, enter mileage, see your costs
28
EV models in the calculator
Covering the most popular UK models in 2026
DATA AND ACCURACY
How we keep this data current
Electricity rate data
Home electricity rate references are sourced from Ofgem's quarterly price cap announcements. The standard variable rate, cheapest fixed rate, and EV tariff overnight rate are reviewed and updated each time Ofgem announces a new quarterly cap, typically in February, May, August, and November each year.
Current reference rates were last reviewed in June 2026 and reflect the July 2026 Ofgem price cap of 26.11p per kWh and Intelligent Octopus Go's April 2026 overnight rate of approximately 8p per kWh.
Vehicle efficiency figures
EV efficiency figures are based on a combination of manufacturer WLTP specifications and real-world owner data from public sources. Real-world efficiency is typically 10 to 20% lower than WLTP figures depending on driving conditions.
Figures are updated when new model variants are launched or when significant real-world data suggests the published estimates need revision. Users can override efficiency figures in the calculator with their own real-world data.
Public charging rates
Public charging cost data is sourced from Zapmap's quarterly UK EV charging statistics, which track average per-kWh rates across the UK's public charging network by charger type. The most recently available data (March 2026) shows an average rapid charger rate of 79p per kWh.
Public charging rates vary significantly by network, location, and charger speed. The figures used on this site are averages for illustrative comparison purposes only.
RELATED RESOURCES
Part of a network of UK energy information sites
This site is one of three independent UK energy information resources built to help households and EV drivers understand and reduce their energy costs.
evChargingCosts.co.uk
UK EV home charging cost calculator and tariff comparison guide. Free calculator covering 28 popular models.
You are here
Utility Matchmaker
Independent UK energy switching information and referral service. Live tariff comparison powered by TheEnergyShop, Ofgem Confidence Code accredited since 2003.
Compare energy tariffs →priceCapRates.co.uk
Ofgem energy price cap rates for all 14 UK distribution regions. Quarterly data, history chart, and postcode lookup.
Find your regional rates →Important information
- Figures on this site are estimates for guidance only
- Actual costs vary by tariff terms, charging losses, weather, driving style, and vehicle condition
- This site does not provide financial or regulated advice
- Always confirm current prices directly with suppliers before making switching decisions
- Live tariff comparison is available at Utility Matchmaker
This site is operated by IOM Digital Design Limited.
Ready to calculate your charging costs?
Use the free calculator to find out what your EV costs to charge at home, and how much you could save by switching to a dedicated EV tariff.