If you are charging an EV on a standard electricity tariff, you are very likely paying more than you need to. Smart EV tariffs, paired with the right charger, can bring your cost per mile down substantially, sometimes to under 10p per kWh overnight. Here is how they actually work.

What is a smart EV tariff?

A smart EV tariff is an electricity plan specifically designed around EV charging, offering significantly cheaper rates during set off-peak windows, usually overnight, when overall electricity demand is lowest. Some go further, using real-time or near-real-time pricing that reflects wholesale electricity costs and grid conditions minute by minute, rather than a single fixed off-peak rate.

How they work in practice

At the simplest level, a smart tariff offers a cheap fixed rate during a defined window, say midnight to 5am, and standard rates outside it. You, or your charger, simply schedule charging to happen within that window.

More sophisticated tariffs, Octopus’s Intelligent Octopus being the best-known example, go further still. Rather than a single fixed cheap window, the tariff dispatches charging dynamically, sending a signal to your charger to draw power specifically when wholesale electricity is cheapest and cleanest, which can shift night to night depending on wind generation and overall grid demand.

Top UK smart EV tariffs

• Octopus Intelligent Go: the most established smart EV tariff in the UK, using real-time dispatch to charge when the grid has surplus, low-cost electricity available.
• OVO Charge Anytime: a competitor offering with its own smart scheduling approach.
• EDF GoElectric: another established smart tariff aimed specifically at EV owners.
• British Gas Electric Driver: a further option worth comparing depending on your existing supplier relationship.

Availability and specific rates change, so it is worth comparing current offers directly with each supplier before switching, rather than relying on older comparisons.

Which chargers actually make use of this

Any smart charger can schedule charging for a fixed off-peak window, that is a fairly basic feature at this point. Where it gets more interesting is real dispatch integration:

Ohme Home Pro has the deepest integration currently available, particularly with Intelligent Octopus. Rather than just charging within a fixed window, Ohme receives live dispatch signals and charges specifically when the tariff identifies the cheapest moments, which can mean rates meaningfully below the standard off-peak rate.

Easee, Zappi, and Hypervolt all support scheduled off-peak charging, but without the same live dispatch integration, they work to a fixed window you set yourself rather than responding to real-time signals.

How much can you actually save

The specific saving depends on your tariff, your typical charging pattern, and how much of your charging happens within the smart window versus outside it. As a general principle, moving from a standard flat tariff to a well-matched smart EV tariff, especially with a charger that integrates properly like Ohme with Intelligent Octopus, typically brings a substantial reduction in cost per mile compared to standard rate charging. We are happy to talk through realistic figures for your specific driving pattern during a quote, rather than quoting a generic number that may not reflect your situation.

Do you need a smart meter?

Yes, smart EV tariffs require a smart meter capable of half-hourly or more frequent readings, since the cheap rate windows depend on accurately tracking when you are drawing power. If you are not sure whether your meter qualifies, this is worth checking with your energy supplier, or we can advise during a site survey if you send us a photo of your meter.

Switching tariffs and choosing a charger together

If cost is your main priority and you are not particularly focused on solar integration or multi-EV load balancing, it is worth thinking about your tariff and charger choice together rather than separately. Ohme paired with Intelligent Octopus is the combination we would point most cost-focused single-EV households toward. If you have solar panels, though, the calculation shifts, see our full comparison guide for how that trade-off plays out.

A real example

We recently installed an Ohme Home Pro for a homeowner in Watford who had just switched to Intelligent Octopus after previously charging their Nissan Leaf overnight from a standard three-pin plug at standard rate. After setting a departure time of 7:30am with an 80% minimum charge target, Ohme began dispatching most charging sessions between 1am and 4am, when wholesale rates were lowest. Their average cost per charge dropped noticeably within the first month.

Frequently Asked Questions