Quick answer: At the Ofgem price cap rate of 26.32p per kWh, which applies from 1 October to 31 December 2026, charging at home costs about 7.9p a mile for an average EV. On an off-peak EV tariff at 7.6p per kWh, it costs about 2.3p a mile. For 7,000 miles a year, that is roughly £555 at the cap rate or £160 on the cheaper tariff.
The basic sum
Cost of a charge = kWh put into the battery × price per kWh.
To work out cost per mile, you need your car’s efficiency. Octopus Energy uses a UK average of 0.301kWh per mile, which is about 3.3 miles per kWh. We use that figure below. Your car may be more or less efficient, and some energy is lost in charging, so real costs will be a little higher than these sums.
What it costs on the price cap
Ofgem’s price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026 is 26.32p per kWh for electricity, with a standing charge of 54.83p a day, for customers paying by Direct Debit in England, Scotland and Wales. Your own rate depends on your region and payment method. The cap is set every quarter, and Ofgem will announce the cap for January to March 2027 by 25 November 2026.
The standing charge is payable whether or not you charge a car, so we leave it out of the per-mile cost.
There is no VAT on household electricity in Great Britain from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. See no VAT on electricity and our price cap guide for EV drivers.
Worked examples
These are our own sums, using Octopus’s average of 0.301kWh a mile and before charging losses. The tariff rates come from supplier websites on 19 October 2026.
| Rate per kWh | Cost per mile | Adding 40kWh | 7,000 miles a year (2,107kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26.32p (price cap, October to December 2026) | 7.9p | £10.53 | £555 |
| 9.5p (British Gas EV Power or E.ON Next Drive, off-peak) | 2.9p | £3.80 | £200 |
| 8p (E.ON Next Drive Smart, off-peak) | 2.4p | £3.20 | £169 |
| 7.6p (Intelligent Octopus Go, off-peak) | 2.3p | £3.04 | £160 |
| 6.66p (EDF GoElectric, off-peak) | 2.0p | £2.66 | £140 |
Octopus itself says 7,000 miles costs about £160 on Intelligent Octopus Go. For comparison, Zapmap’s September 2026 averages for public charging were 54p and 79p per kWh, or about 16p and 24p a mile. See public charging costs.
How EV tariffs work
EV tariffs offer a much lower rate overnight. Some apply it for a fixed window, such as midnight to 5am. Smart tariffs, such as Intelligent Octopus Go, let the supplier schedule your charging for cheaper times. You usually need a smart meter, and some tariffs need a compatible car or charger.
Remember that the rest of your home’s electricity is usually charged at a higher daytime rate on these tariffs. Check the peak rate as well as the off-peak one. Our EV tariffs compared page sets out the main options and conditions.
How to work out your own cost
- Find your car’s efficiency in miles per kWh, from the trip computer or a reliable test.
- Divide your annual mileage by that figure to get kWh.
- Multiply by your off-peak rate, and add a little for charging losses.
Our charging cost calculator does this for you, and the EV vs petrol calculator compares running costs with a petrol car.
Ways to cut the cost
- Charge off-peak on an EV tariff.
- Use a smart charger. Private chargers sold in Great Britain must be smart and can be scheduled. See smart charger rules.
- Charge from solar panels, if you have them, during the day.
- Check your peak rate if you charge during the day, as it is usually much higher than the off-peak rate.
From April 2028, eVED is due to add 3p a mile for electric cars. See the eVED explainer and the eVED calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a home charger to get these rates?
Not always. Some tariffs need a compatible charger or car. See do I need a home charger and installation costs.
Is charging from a 3-pin plug more expensive?
The price per kWh is the same, but charging is slower, so it may run outside the cheap window. See charging from a 3-pin plug.
What if I cannot charge at home?
Related guides and tools
- Hubs: all our electric car guides and charging guides.
- Tools: the charging cost calculator, EV vs petrol cost comparison, eVED calculator and grant checker.
- Also read: Which EV tariff is cheapest? Off-peak rates compared, October 2026 and Can I charge an electric car from a normal 3-pin plug?.
Sources
- Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges, Ofgem
- Intelligent Octopus Go, Octopus Energy
- GoElectric, EDF
- EV Power, British Gas
- Next Drive, E.ON Next
- Charging price index, Zapmap
Last checked: 19 October 2026
Image credit: Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped.
