Electric cars
Home vs public EV charging: what each costs
How home charging on an Octopus EV tariff compares with public chargers per kWh and per mile, and how to work out your own figures.
Edited by Rob Gibbs. Published: . Guidance reviewed: .
Short answer
Charging at home on a cheap overnight EV tariff costs a fraction of public charging. Octopus cites an average public slow or fast charge of 54p per kWh (June 2026), against an Intelligent Go smart-charging rate of 7.6p per kWh at the time. Your own saving depends on your region’s rates and how much of your charging happens at home.
Comparing the two
Public charging is priced per kWh, often with a higher price for rapid chargers. Home charging on Octopus Go or Intelligent Go uses the tariff’s off-peak rate. That rate varies by region, so check today’s figure on the regional tariff pages.
- Cost per mile = price per kWh ÷ miles per kWh (many EVs manage 3 to 4 miles per kWh).
- At 54p per kWh and 3.5 miles per kWh, public charging is about 15p a mile.
- At 7.6p per kWh and the same efficiency, home charging is about 2p a mile.
What the headline leaves out
A home tariff also changes what you pay for the rest of the house. Go and Intelligent Go have a higher day rate than a standard tariff, so a home with heavy daytime use gives back some of the saving. Charging losses add a little too: not every kWh from the wall ends up in the battery.
Work out your own
The EV charging cost calculator prices a charge at today’s published rates for your region, including charging losses and a ready-by time.
Questions people ask
Is it cheaper to charge an EV at home?
Usually by a wide margin, if you can charge overnight on an EV tariff. Public chargers cost several times more per kWh.
Does the cheap rate apply to my whole home?
Yes, during the tariff’s off-peak window. Outside it, the whole home pays the day rate.
Tariffs in this guide
Related guides
- Plug-in hybrids on Octopus Go and Intelligent GoWhether a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) can use Octopus EV tariffs, and why a smaller battery changes whether they save you money.
- Which cars and chargers work with Intelligent Octopus Go?How to check whether your car or charger works with Intelligent Octopus Go, what happens if it does not, and the Go tariff that works with any EV.
- Keeping gas on a fix while electricity is on Intelligent GoCan your gas stay on a fixed tariff while your electricity moves to Octopus Go or Intelligent Go? How the two fuels work separately.
- Charging a company EV at home on an Octopus tariffWhat to sort out when you charge a company or salary-sacrifice EV at home on Octopus Go or Intelligent Go: records, reimbursement and the whole-home cost.
- EV chargepoint grants: who can still claimThe government EV chargepoint grant for renters and flat owners: how much it pays, who qualifies and how it changed on 1 April 2026.
- How smart EV charging works on Intelligent Octopus GoHow Intelligent Octopus Go schedules your EV, why charging sometimes happens outside the overnight window, and how it is billed.
Primary sources
- How does Intelligent Octopus Go work and how can I join? — Octopus Energy; checked 2026-10-30. The 23:30 to 05:30 whole-home window, smart charging billed at the off-peak rate and eligibility checks.