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EV charging cost calculator: home vs smart tariff vs rapid
Charging at home is far cheaper than public rapid charging. For an average 7,100 miles a year, home charging costs about £566 on a standard tariff or £164 on a smart EV tariff, against about £1,700 at rapid chargers. A typical £1,000 home charger installation pays for itself in about 8 months on a smart tariff.
Last checked: 16 October 2026. Prices change every quarter (Ofgem) and every month (Zapmap). Change any figure below to match your car and tariff.
Annual cost with the default figures
| How you charge | Price per kWh | Cost a year | Cost per mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home, standard tariff (Ofgem price cap) | 26.32p | £566 | 8.0p |
| Home, smart EV tariff | 7.6p | £164 | 2.3p |
| Public rapid charging only | 79p | £1,700 | 23.9p |
Payback on a £1,000 installation, compared with charging only at rapid chargers: about 8 months on a smart EV tariff, or 11 months on a standard tariff. With the £500 grant, about 4 months on a smart tariff.
Based on 7,100 miles a year at 3.3 miles per kWh (2,152 kWh). Excludes standing charges.
Default figures and sources
- Miles a year: 7,100, the average car in England in 2025. DfT – National Travel Survey table NTS0901: annual mileage of cars, England (2025 data, updated 10 September 2026)
- Efficiency: 3.3 miles per kWh (0.301 kWh per mile, UK average EV consumption). Octopus Energy – Intelligent Octopus Go (7.6p/kWh smart charging rate; 0.301 kWh/mile UK average EV consumption, checked October 2026)
- Standard tariff: 26.32p per kWh, Ofgem price cap average for Direct Debit, 1 October to 31 December 2026 (no VAT on electricity until 31 March 2027). East Midlands rates differ slightly. Ofgem – Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges, 1 October to 31 December 2026
- Smart EV tariff: 7.6p per kWh, the Intelligent Octopus Go smart charging rate from 1 October 2026 (up to 6 hours a day). Other suppliers’ EV tariffs differ; we are not paid to name any tariff. Octopus Energy – Intelligent Octopus Go (7.6p/kWh smart charging rate; 0.301 kWh/mile UK average EV consumption, checked October 2026)
- Rapid charging: 79p per kWh, Zapmap’s weighted average pay-as-you-go price for 50kW+ chargers, September 2026. Zapmap – UK EV Charging Price Index (September 2026 data, updated 7 October 2026)
- Installation: £1,000, the middle of the typical £800 to £1,200 range. Energy Saving Trust – Smart charging for electric vehicles (typical home chargepoint installation around £800–£1,200) Our installation cost guide explains what moves the price.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?
At the Ofgem price cap average of 26.32p per kWh (1 October to 31 December 2026), driving 7,100 miles a year in a car that does 3.3 miles per kWh costs about £566 a year. On a smart EV tariff at 7.6p per kWh it is about £164.
Source: Ofgem – Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges, 1 October to 31 December 2026; Octopus Energy – Intelligent Octopus Go (7.6p/kWh smart charging rate; 0.301 kWh/mile UK average EV consumption, checked October 2026); DfT – National Travel Survey table NTS0901: annual mileage of cars, England (2025 data, updated 10 September 2026)
How much does public rapid charging cost?
Zapmap's Price Index puts the average pay-as-you-go price on rapid and ultra-rapid chargers (50kW and above) at 79p per kWh in September 2026. For the same 7,100 miles that is about £1,700 a year, roughly 10 times the cost of smart-tariff home charging.
Source: Zapmap – UK EV Charging Price Index (September 2026 data, updated 7 October 2026)
How long does a home charger take to pay for itself?
Against charging only at public rapid chargers, a £1,000 installation pays for itself in about 8 months on a smart EV tariff, or 11 months on a standard tariff, using the defaults on this page. With the up to £500 government grant (for renters, flat owners, landlords and homes with on-street parking) it is about 4 months.
Source: Energy Saving Trust – Smart charging for electric vehicles (typical home chargepoint installation around £800–£1,200); GOV.UK – Electric vehicle chargepoint grants
Where do the default figures come from?
Mileage: the DfT National Travel Survey average for cars in England in 2025. Efficiency: 0.301 kWh per mile (about 3.3 miles per kWh), the UK average quoted by Octopus Energy. Standard tariff: the Ofgem price cap average for Direct Debit. Smart tariff: the Intelligent Octopus Go smart charging rate. Rapid: the Zapmap Price Index. Installation: the middle of the Energy Saving Trust’s £800 to £1,200 range. All checked 16 October 2026.
Source: DfT – National Travel Survey table NTS0901: annual mileage of cars, England (2025 data, updated 10 September 2026); Octopus Energy – Intelligent Octopus Go (7.6p/kWh smart charging rate; 0.301 kWh/mile UK average EV consumption, checked October 2026); Ofgem – Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges, 1 October to 31 December 2026; Zapmap – UK EV Charging Price Index (September 2026 data, updated 7 October 2026); Energy Saving Trust – Smart charging for electric vehicles (typical home chargepoint installation around £800–£1,200)
What does this calculator leave out?
Standing charges (you pay these whether or not you charge at home), regional price differences, charging losses, and charging outside your tariff’s off-peak window. Your real cost depends on your tariff, car, driving and where you live.
Next steps
Check whether you can get up to £500 off with the grant checker. No driveway? Use the no-driveway charging tool. Then compare OZEV-authorised installers in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire or Staffordshire. Related: smart charger rules, choosing an installer, grants guide.