How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car in the UK?
One of the most common questions from anyone considering an electric car — or already driving one — is how much it actually costs to charge. The answer varies enormously depending on where you charge, when you charge, and which network you use. Here's everything you need to know.
Home charging costs
Home charging is where most EV owners do most of their charging — and for good reason. It's by far the cheapest option, and modern home wallboxes can charge most EVs overnight in 6-10 hours.
Standard home electricity rate
At the current UK average of around 24p/kWh, charging a typical 60kWh EV from empty to full costs approximately £14.40. At 3.5 miles/kWh efficiency, that's enough for around 210 miles — working out to around 6.9p per mile.
EV-specific off-peak tariffs
The best deal for EV drivers is an EV-specific electricity tariff that offers very cheap overnight rates. Octopus Go is the most popular, offering electricity at around 7p/kWh between 11:30pm and 5:30am. At that rate, a full 60kWh charge costs just £4.20 — enough for 210 miles at just 2p per mile. That's extraordinary value compared to petrol.
Other providers offering similar EV tariffs include OVO Energy, British Gas, and EDF. The savings compared to standard tariffs are significant enough that switching tariffs is usually one of the first things EV owners do.
Public charging costs
Public charging is more expensive than home charging — but the range of prices is wide. Here's a comparison of the major UK networks as of May 2026:
| Network | Typical price | Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osprey | ~45-55p/kWh | 50-150kW | Often among the cheaper public networks |
| Pod Point | ~45-55p/kWh | 7-50kW | Wide coverage, reliable pricing |
| Gridserve | ~49-65p/kWh | 60-360kW | Premium locations, good reliability |
| Tesla Supercharger | ~45-65p/kWh | 150-250kW | Tesla vehicles only (some exceptions) |
| BP Pulse | ~55-70p/kWh | 7-150kW | Subscription available for lower rates |
| Osprey (motorway) | ~65-75p/kWh | 150kW+ | Premium for motorway locations |
| Motorway services (general) | ~70-85p/kWh | 50-150kW | Most expensive — convenience premium |
Motorway rapid charging is expensive. At 80p/kWh, charging a 60kWh EV costs £48 — more than filling a 40-litre petrol tank. Plan longer journeys to use cheaper networks where possible, and avoid charging to 100% at rapid chargers (it's slower and more expensive per mile).
How much does a full charge cost?
This varies by battery size. Here are typical costs for popular EVs:
| EV model | Battery size | Home (24p/kWh) | Off-peak (7p/kWh) | Rapid (75p/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Leaf (40kWh) | 40 kWh | £9.60 | £2.80 | £30.00 |
| MG4 Standard | 51 kWh | £12.24 | £3.57 | £38.25 |
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | 60 kWh | £14.40 | £4.20 | £45.00 |
| Kia EV6 Long Range | 77 kWh | £18.48 | £5.39 | £57.75 |
| Tesla Model Y LR AWD | 82 kWh | £19.68 | £5.74 | £61.50 |
Tips for charging your EV as cheaply as possible
Is home charging always possible?
Unfortunately not. Flat dwellers, terraced house residents without a driveway, and those in rented accommodation without landlord permission can't install a home charger. This is a genuine barrier for a significant portion of UK households.
The government's on-street residential charging scheme aims to address this with publicly funded street chargers, but availability remains patchy outside major cities. If you can't charge at home, factor the higher public charging costs into your EV economics carefully.
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