Mileage Before Pence: Choosing a Home EV Tariff in 2026
Photo: Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
UK drivers shopping for a home EV tariff are usually shown one number first: the off-peak pence per kWh. It is an understandable focal point. A rate of 7p per kWh sounds materially better than a standard variable rate, and for a high-mileage driver it often is. But the off-peak rate is not the bill. Every electricity tariff also carries a standing charge, levied each day regardless of whether the car is plugged in, and that daily fee can reverse the ranking between otherwise similar offers.
In 2026, the practical question is not which tariff has the lowest headline rate. It is which tariff produces the lowest annual cost for the miles actually driven. The seven tariff structures below are illustrative archetypes based on common UK EV products. Rates and standing charges vary by region, supplier and contract, so current quotes should always be checked. The arithmetic, however, is stable.
The calculation that matters
A useful annual cost formula is: annual EV electricity cost equals annual kWh used multiplied by the off-peak rate, plus the daily standing charge multiplied by 365. Annual kWh used equals annual mileage divided by the car's efficiency in miles per kWh. A second useful measure is the effective pence per kWh: total annual cost divided by annual kWh used. That figure reveals what the driver is really paying for each unit of electricity, including the fixed daily fee.
The illustrative calculations below assume 3.5 miles per kWh, a realistic figure for a mid-sized EV in mixed UK conditions. They also assume that the EV tariff's standing charge is the relevant fixed cost. Where an EV tariff also raises the day rate for the rest of the home, that difference should be added to the annual cost.
Seven tariff archetypes under the daily-fee lens
| Tariff archetype | Illustrative off-peak rate | Illustrative standing charge | Typical window | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Octopus Go-style | 7.0p per kWh | 65p per day | Four hours overnight | Smart meter required |
| Intelligent Octopus Go-style | 6.5p per kWh | 65p per day | Six hours, smart-managed | Compatible car or charger |
| OVO Anytime-style | 7.5p per kWh | 60p per day | Variable smart windows | Smart charging acceptance |
| E.ON Next Drive-style | 8.0p per kWh | 62p per day | Five hours overnight | EV tariff eligibility |
| British Gas Electric Driver-style | 8.5p per kWh | 58p per day | Five hours overnight | Smart meter and EV |
| ScottishPower EV Saver-style | 9.0p per kWh | 55p per day | Five hours overnight | EV tariff eligibility |
| EDF GoElectric-style | 7.8p per kWh | 68p per day | Five hours overnight | Smart meter required |
The table already shows the tension. The cheapest off-peak rate is not attached to the cheapest standing charge. A driver who uses very little electricity at night may be better served by a higher rate with a lower daily fee; a driver who uses a great deal may find the opposite.
Effective cost at three mileages
Using the assumptions above, the effective pence per kWh across the seven archetypes falls into a narrow band at low mileage and a much wider band at high mileage.
| Tariff archetype | 2,000 miles a year | 6,000 miles a year | 12,000 miles a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Octopus Go-style | 48.5p | 20.8p | 13.9p |
| Intelligent Octopus Go-style | 48.0p | 20.3p | 13.4p |
| OVO Anytime-style | 45.9p | 20.3p | 13.9p |
| E.ON Next Drive-style | 47.6p | 21.2p | 14.6p |
| British Gas Electric Driver-style | 45.6p | 20.8p | 14.7p |
| ScottishPower EV Saver-style | 44.2p | 20.7p | 14.9p |
| EDF GoElectric-style | 51.3p | 22.3p | 15.0p |
At 2,000 miles a year, the range is roughly 44p to 51p per kWh. The standing charge is doing most of the work. At 12,000 miles, the range is roughly 13p to 15p per kWh, and the off-peak rate matters far more. The same seven tariffs therefore produce different winners for different drivers.
A simple break-even example shows how the flip happens. The Octopus Go-style archetype has a 7.0p rate and a 65p daily charge. The ScottishPower EV Saver-style archetype has a 9.0p rate and a 55p daily charge. The daily difference is 10p, or £36.50 a year. The rate difference is 2p per kWh. The higher-rate tariff is cheaper until annual consumption exceeds about 1,825 kWh, which at 3.5 miles per kWh is roughly 6,400 miles. Below that mileage, the lower headline rate is the more expensive choice.
What low-mileage drivers should check first
The standing charge deserves the first look. A difference of 10p a day is £36.50 a year; a difference of 15p a day is £54.75. For a driver covering 2,000 miles, that fixed sum can exceed the entire cost of the electricity used for the car. The lower-rate tariff may never recover its daily premium.
Mileage alone is not enough. The off-peak window has to fit the household. A four-hour window is ample for many drivers, but not for someone who returns home late and leaves early. Smart-charging conditions also matter. Some tariffs require the car or charger to accept scheduled charging; others require the driver to hand control to the supplier for part of the night. A tariff that is cheap in theory but inconvenient in practice can lead to more daytime charging at the standard rate.
A checklist for spotting a false bargain
- Calculate the annual standing charge, not the daily pence. Multiply by 365 and compare the result with the annual off-peak saving.
- Use your own annual mileage and a realistic miles-per-kWh figure, not the most favourable manufacturer claim.
- Check whether the EV tariff raises the day rate for the rest of the home. That cost belongs in the comparison.
- Confirm that the off-peak window suits your routine and that the car or charger is compatible with any smart-charging requirement.
- Check early-exit fees, equipment bundling and whether the tariff is fixed or variable.
- Look at regional variation. Standing charges and unit rates can differ materially across distribution areas.
- Re-run the numbers at 2,000, 6,000 and 12,000 miles. If the ranking changes, the decision is sensitive to mileage.
The neutral conclusion
The cheapest home EV tariff is not a universal product. It is a function of annual mileage, standing charge, off-peak window and household electricity use. In 2026, a low-mileage driver should treat the daily fee as a primary cost, not a footnote. A high-mileage driver can afford to focus on the rate. The mistake is to choose on the headline pence per kWh alone and discover, twelve months later, that the daily charge has quietly rewritten the bill.
